Subject:Sprinkle
Entries
Entry 3756
(How would you take that away?)
Well, de first thing yo' would do, would git dis thing - it's in a powdahed form an' den it's in a lump form, but dey call it dragon blood. Yo' take dat an' yo' wear dat intuh yore shoes, jis' de same as ah wuz tellin' yo' 'bout dat othah thing. Yo' wear dat nine days. Den yo' suppose tuh take dat out, an' den yo' supposed tuh take it an' put it on a piece of papah wit dose names written jis' lak ah done tole yo' befo'. Now yo' write mah name in one direction [demonstrates]. Dat's one person's name nine times.
(What one do you write first?)
Write eithah one, don't make any diff'rence, jis' since dey crossed. Yo' undahstan', yo' cross de othah name wit de othah nine. An' aftah yo' do dat yo' supposed tuh take dis piece of papah an' sprinkle it wit dragon blood dat yo' wo' in yo' shoe on it. Den yo' supposed tuh put a half box of salt on dat. Now yo' know how cookstoves are made, dose dat burn wood. Yo' supposed to put it in de ashpan of dat. An' it ain't supposed tuh burn all at once, but as de hot coals drop down, yo' undahstan', den yo' supposed to be rid of dat. (That will get rid of this thing, that woman did to tie him up - [this re- stores] his nature.)
Entry 4240
Sprinkle red peppah, salt an' chamber lye roun' de house, git chew 'way from dere. (That will make you move?) Yes.
Entry 4295
Well, yuh wan'a keep de law away, if yuh're bottleggin'. Evah mawnin' fer nine mawnin's yuh git up, yuh go tuh de front do' - don't evah sweep yuh dirt out de front - befo' de sunrise. Sprinkle chamber lye an' - but firs', burn ole shoe sole an' take de dust of dat ole shoe an' sulphuh, an' sprinkle it all aroun' yeh house out- side. An' den do all dat when de sun go down in de evenin'. As de sun goin' down yuh burn de shoe sole [and the sulphur - see later]. Nex' mawnin' befo' de sunrise, sprinkle it aroun' yeh house [shoe-sole ashes] an' sulphur, an' den sprinkle chamber lye all de way roun'. Den as zhoo sweep yuh house, sweep de dirt all back, from de front all de way back. Take it up on yuh shovel an' befo' sundown dat evening take dat dust whut choo sweep out cheh house an' burn it up in sulphuh an' ole shoe sole. An' do dat fer 9 mawnin', don't miss a mawnin', befo' de sunrise. An' as de sun goin' down in de evenin', yuh burn yuh shoe sole. An' continue sprinkle dat chamber lye aroun' yuh house. An' de officahs, dere wouldn't be anothah step about choo, won't nevah think about chew an' yuh likker.
Entry 4795
When ah wuz a young girl ah hear 'em talkin' about it.
(You say it was an old woman?)
Yeah, it used tuh be when I wuz a young girl. It's a certain way dey say dat you kin git a piece of dough. Make a flour dough.
(Out of flour, ordinary flour?)
Flour, an' yuh take dat piece of flour dough about dis long an' yuh wear it undah yore lef' arm nine mornings, [then] put it undah yore right arm nine morn- ings an' aftah yuh do dat, den yuh take it an' weah it be- tween yore laigs. (For how long?) Nine mornings. Evah thin' is nine day's work. An' den, dey say, yuh beat it up right fine, jis' lak a powdah, lak peppah or salt, an' den yuh take it an' sprinkle it on somepin tuh eat fer 'im, yuh know, an' dat will make him follah yuh, make him love yuh.
Entry 5095
When I was a boy I was hunting a job here [at the Chamberlain Hotel] as bellboy and I had my mother to see a so-called fortuneteller. And he told her to burn some shoes and to get a few of the ashes, and sprinkle some of these ashes around Richmond's [the manager's] feet when I came to apply for the job. [This was the old Chamberlain, not the new one of 1936, when I interviewed informant, the head waiter there.] [Old Point Comfort, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 5098
Now, in burnin' shoes, if yo' kin git - it don' mattah whethah yo' got de whole shoe or not, but if yo' git de tongue of, de tongue of dere shoe, git de tongue outa it, an' if not, why jis' take de bottom. An' yo' kin burn dose shoes an' take de ashes an' at sunrise sprinkle some toward de sun, say, "Peace be unto yo'." Den turn tuh de west an' tuh de no'th an' say, "Peace be unto yo'." An' turn tuh de south, an' say de same thing each time. An' whut- evah yo' want dat person tuh do, why yo' got 'em dere.
(You don't call his name or anything? That person's name?)
Nawsir.
(But you must have that person in mind when you are doing it?)
Oh yeah, yes sir.
Entry 5099
Well, lak yo' livin' in dis house 'sides [beside] yo' neighbah an' he's mad wit chew or somepin othah lak dat. Well, dey want chew tuh move out. Well, prob'ly yo' take an', if yo' kin git some of 'is shoes, an' take an' burn dem shoes, an' sprin- kle sulphuh on dem shoes as yo' burn 'em. An' if yo' take dis ashes aftah yo' burn de shoes - take de ashes an' prob'ly ketch dem goin' 'way from de house someplace or 'nothah lak dat. An' take dis ashes an' sprinkle it roun' both do'steps, de back do'step an' de front do'step. An' when dey goes in an' come out - when dey goes in de house an' come out, den yo' take dem ashes an' take an' bring 'em back, an' yo' burn 'em ag'in wit some sulphuh. Jis' burn 'em in dis sulphuh dis time, an' take an' sprinkle a li'le whiskey on it. Den dey leave ag'in, an' aftah dey leave ag'in, yo' take an' do de same thing, an' let it stay dere dis time. An' den when dey leave out dat time, den de nex' thing dey'll wanta do is move, becuz dat stuff whut she did will begin tuh start tuh work.
Entry 5193
Ah started tuh make uh gurl love me an' ah did jis' lak de root doctah tole me. He tole me tuh take tuh grain of black peppah [2 pinches of black pep- per] an' take an' weah in mah shoe. Yo' has it [pepper] on a piece of papah. Take a piece of brown papah an' yuh put it ovah dere. Keep it right down by yuh baid unbeknowin' tuh 'er. Yuh take tuh [fresh grains] evah mawnin' an' put in yuh right shoe fo' nine mawnin'. Leave it dere. An' shō [sure] in de nex' mawnin' tuh put tuh mo' in dere. Do dat fer nine mawnin'. [THIS IS AN INCREASING AMOUNT RITE.] Yuh put on yuh shoe an' weah yuh shoe. Weah 'at [that pepper] in yuh shoe. An' den aftah ah weah dat in mah shoe, be sho ven [when] ah pull mah shoe off [eachnight] tuh take an' put mah shoe unduh [under] de cornah of de baid jis' whure she sleep at. Evah mawnin' [during these nine days when] yuh git up, yuh hug 'er. An' den he give some kin'a dus'. He said evah mawnin' sprinkle dat dus' on 'er while yuh huggin' 'er. Den aftah dat [at the end of nine days] go outdo' an' take dis shoe an' dig yuh a hole right undah de front steps, right whure she got'a walk out. Bury de [eighteen grains of] peppah. An' aftah yuh [do] dat, she'll fall in love wit chuh an' yuh cain't git away from 'er, an' she cain't git away from yuh. [Here is my comment on my original pencil transcription: Voice clear but vemy difficult to transcribe - a primitive mind [[not in a technical sense]] - recheck [[original]] before final using - No.311 is a Negro from the Sound [[Wrightville Sound]]. After informant had left room, my contact man Mr. Gavin came in to ex- press his sorrow for him. He had never seen anyone quite so inexperienced and isolated from simple forms of normal life.]
Entry 5234
Ah heard if dere any person dat chew don' wan' aroun' yo', in de mawn- in' 'fore de sun rise, yo' go an' sweep yore front yard. Well, when dey come dere an' dey walk in an' yo' sweep it an' yo' burn a ole shoe. Yo go roun' anywhere where dis person is an' git any ole shoe belong tuh dem an' burn it an' sprinkle it. Well dat will keep 'em 'way from roun' dere.
(You sweep first?)
Yo' sweep'an' den burn a ole shoe - jes' yo' sweep an' den yo' put some sul- phur in dat ashes of de burnt shoe. Sprinkle it in de front yard.
Entry 5423
Ah've heard dat argued up home. Dat's de forks of de road. Yo' go tuh de forks of de road, if a person's a enemy to yo', see. An' if yo' kin git tuh de forks of de road an' git de tracks of dat person from de fork of dat road - see, it's two roads. See. Now de fork of de road dat means de road is prackly [practically] two ways. An' yo' kin take his tracks an' sprinkle de dust down in de left side of de road. (You go out to the forks of the road and you get this man's tracks out there. What do you do with those tracks?) One goes right an' one go lef', if yo' wanta run de man crazy. Ah've heard dat argued a good many times.
(You pick up how many tracks?)
Yo' pick it up outa de right-han' track. Take up de right'han' track an' sprinkle it down on de left side [of "Y" fork] - in de lef' way. Dat's de way dey runs so many people crazy. Ah have nevah done dat.
(You don't touch his left track at all then?)
Yo' takes it outa de right track yo' see an' sprinkle it on de left side [fork] of de road.
(You don't put anything in the other side of the road at all?)
Oh, not de right side, see. An' den yo', when yo' git through dat, den yo' walk down de right side [fork] of de road, unless [you do] dat yo' both will go crazy. Unless - see, if yo' go down de lef' side [fork] aftah yo' sprinkle de track, de dust down in de lef' side, den yo' go down de lef' side, both of yo' will go crazy.
(You have to go down the right fork?)
Yo' have tuh go down de right side of de road. Dat's old-time doin's.
Entry 5463
Dey says if yo' take yore fingah, reach from hollah of de foot tuh de heel, dey take dat dirt up [demon- strates]. (YOu PUT THE INDEX FIN- GER AT THE HOLLOW AND the thumb at the heel and bring it together. Take up a pinch of that dirt. Out of either foot?) De right foot. An' yo' kin take dat den an' put 'em tuh wandahin' - trailin' [a rare word].
(What would you do with that dirt after you got it?)
Well, dey say dat yo' mix a li'le graveyard dirt wit it. Dey kin kill yo' wit it or else dey kin put yo' tuh travelin'. Take dat dirt an' sprinkle it wit nine new needles right in de direction yo' wan' 'em to go. If de house heah, dat yo' wanta run 'em from, yo' go right dere in front dat house an' put dat dirt. Say dat will run 'em. (Now I am not quite certain about those nails. You take this dirt from the foot and some of this graveyard dirt. And then you take nails or needles?) Kin take needles an' nails.
(How do you drive them - into the ground or what?)
Yeah into de ground. An' den nine new pins, an' needles wit it, but chew put dem needles between dem nine nails.
(That will make them go away.)
Entry 5532
Ah've heard dat dey kin git chure foot track an' measure yore foot track, an' take some of de dirt out de hollah of yore track, see. Den go tuh de graveyard aftah twelve o'clock an' git some de dirt from de heart, about de heart, an' from de head an' from de foot [3 places]. An' mix it wit dat dirt whut dey took out of yore track. An' march aroun' dat grave fo' times, firs'. Den come back an' march aroun' it ag'in five, six, seven. De seven is de uneven numbah. March roun' dat seven times. Den take dat dirt whut dey got wit de graveyard dirt outen yore track, an' go an' mix it tuhgethah, an' boil it in salt an' water an' lime. Throw dat in salt, watah an' lime. Den dey will take dat an' sprinkle it wherevah yo' gotta go, where yo' cross ovah at, if it's yore doorstep or some path yo' go. If yo' in a car, why dey'd sprinkle it aroun yore car - sompin like dat - an' dat will do yo' harm. See, when yo' git in dere, yo'll be painful an' cain't rest, an' have no min' tuh stay at home - only be goin' all de time. (NOW TO MAKE CERTAIN ABOUT THIS. When you get this graveyard dirt after twelve o'clock at night, you get it from three places: on the head, the heart, and the feet. And before you get that dirt, do you walk around the grave four times or after?) Aftah.
(Then you say you walk around it again five times?)
Firs' yo' walk aroun' it, dat make five. Den yo' walk aroun' it seven times.
(Seven separate times or all together?)
Altuhgethah.
(You walk around it four times. Then what do you do?)
Yo' walk aroun' it fo' times an' yo' speak words.
(What will you say?)
Yo' will say, "Ah wan' dis man tuh be subjec' tuh me. Ah wan' 'im tuh go an' not come back. Dat 'is min' may go from 'im, dat he may not undahstan' whut he do." See, dat's whut dey'll say.
(Then you will walk around it?)
Two mo' time. Dat makes seven. (They walk around it four times. They dig that dirt up and walk around it four times. Then what do they do after the fourth time, after they say those words?) Den dey walk aroun' it ag'in one time. Dat makes five, yo' see.
(Then do they say anything?)
Naw, don't say anything. Den de fifth time, den de sixth an' de seventh. Den dey march aroun' dere de seventh time, den dey will repeat de same words over ag'in....
(Then you go on away with the graveyard dirt.)
Entry 5703
Take frogs - jis' lak if yo' wanta run a person off, ketch a live frog an' split 'im wide open. Yo' take a person track - yo' take both of 'is track an' put one crossways, cut it dis way Idemonstratesl. (You cut that frog lengthwise and cross- wise - cross like an "x". All right.) Yo' put de right track straight up an' down, de left track yo' crosses dat. Dat crosses up 'is mind an' he'll drift an' drift an' drift. Dat crosses up 'is mind, see. An' den yo' sew 'im back up an' yo Pat 'im into a green gourd. Put 'im in an' stop it up. A green gourd, dat's right, an' go where de tide is gotta go a long ways, an' yo' walk dere, an' when yo' git tuh dis rivah yo' walk nine steps backwards an throw it ovah, say, "Go, Go." An' throw it ovah. Don' look back, jis' walk from de rivah an' keep agoin'. An' he'll go.
(You say "Go" twice?)
Yassuh.
Entry 5709
Dey say if anybody in yore town dat chew don' lak, yo' jis' git grave- yard dirt an' yore [this person's left] track an' put some red peppah an' gun- powder in it, an' care [carry] it tuh de rail- road track, an' dis a vich [which] way [way] yo' put it on de track [that is the direction in which this person will travel]. Dey say jis' sprinkle it along on de track, an' if de train ketch it, den dey won' have no mo' trouble wit joo. Dey say dat [foot] track a-make yo' go tuh de station an' ketch de train, an' de track dat dey put it on will be de train dat choo leave on.
Entry 6455
Puts 'em in a bag, dese.
(These fingernails and toenails?)
Yes, takes yore fingahnails an' toenails. Dey git holt of 'em an' puts 'em in a bag. Aftah dey puts 'em in dis bag, dey take an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt in dem an' hang 'em up ovah yore door- sill. An' aftah hangin' yore fingahnails ovah de doorsill, stay up dere awhile, den dey take an' sprinkle dem down by yore do'.
(And what will that do?)
Dat will run yo' away from someone dat dey don' wan' chew tuh be wit.
Entry 6575
Said dat a lady had some li'le lizards in 'er an' she wuz told by a hoodoo lady dat if dey caught dat lizard alive an' tied 'im in a dark cornah an' let 'im die. An' den took 'im an' parched 'im up, beat 'im up an' put 'im in de walk where she had tuh walk. So in de summah- time she'd go wit'out 'er shoes, an' de powdah would stick tuh de hollah of 'er feet, an' quite natchel [natural] 'er havin' life in 'er feets, she'd carry it on an' put on de shoe an' wear it, an' it create little lizards, an' de little lizards grew in 'er.
Entry 6613
Git a snake an' put a snake in yo'. Dey kin go ketch a snake an' kill it, cut 'is head off an' hang 'im on de limb [of a tree] by de tail. Tie a string aroun' 'is tail an' hang 'im up an' put a tin cup or tin plate undah 'im an' ketch 'is blood. Let 'im bleed in dat tin plate or tin cup, whutevah it is. Now dey take dat blood an' dey kin put dat blood intuh yore food or somepin tuh drink; or dey kin let dat blood dry until it comes jis' tuh a hard powdah. Dey kin sprinkle it in yore shoes. An' de perspiration from yore feet will such up de strength of dat blood an' cuz yore body tuh attract dat, an' it will go all through de body an' kill de body. An' it will be crawlin' jis' undah de skin, all about, mostly from de point where dey entered. Depends upon how long it is when it gits in de stomic an' come on up. An' he'll choke yo' tryin' tuh come on up.
Entry 6808
(Suppose I have come to you about taking a spell off?)
Well, ah nuse [use] dis salt, peppah, sage an' stuff - salt, sugah, sage, alum an' saltpetah. Ah got dat ovah in a box, see. An' ah take some new string, nuthin have been worn, an' ah tie dem, an' whatsomevah ah Want chew tuh do [demon- strates]. (Just tie a knot.) Yeah, tie a knot, an' den ah take dat, dis stuff an' sprin- kle it ovah dere, see. An' den if dis spell [is] on me [you], see. An' whosomevah put it on yo', if yo' know dere names, yo' jis' call dere name an' tell 'em yo' want 'em to take dis spell offa yo'. Well, if dey don't, yo' wish bad luck onto dem, see. An' yo' burn dis stuff. An' den YO' STRIP BUCK NECKED [NAKED] AN' DEN TAKE DIS BLANKET AN' PUT IT: OVAH YORE HAID. AN' DIS SMOKE, YO' CAIN'T HAR'LY [HARDLY] STAND IT. If dere's anything in yo' in any way, shape, form or fashion, it'll come out, see. [The preceding term suck necked [[naked]] may be its only use in Hoodoo.] An' den yo' take a li'le whiskey glass an' yo' boil dis heah gourd tea - yo know gourds - an' yo' boil dis gourd tea an' yo' take three glasses of dis gourd tea evah day. An' dat'll take de spell off yo'.
(Especially if they have something inside of you.)
Entry 7165
Take some graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it ovah de house. Dat will put 'em fast asleep, dey say. Ah nevah experienced it but ah jis' heard whut dey would say.
(You mean it would put this man asleep?)
Puts 'im fast asleep an' she kin git up an' go jis' where she wanta.
(Where does she sprinkle that stuff?)
Sprinkle it ovah yore house.
(Oh, all around the house - inside the house.)
Yeah.
Entry 7408
Jis' lak ef a puson wus tuh kill anothah one an' dey can't nevah ketch 'im. Well, dey go on an' dey gits - dat coffin have tuh be dressed whut dat in- divid'l is in tuh cuz dese othah parties tuh come back. An' tuh dress dat coffin dey'll git some dragon's blood an' whut chew call - well it's a oil whut chew call de come back oil, an' dat dragon's blood an' dat Sang-Sang Powdah. [This is probably the same thing as Sen-Sen or Sen-Sen Powder mentioned elsewhere.l An' take it an' put it in a half a pint-a watah, an' put two tablespoonsful of saltpetah in it, an' shake it up good an' sprinkle dat individ'l good in dat coffin. Sprinkle de corpse real good an' dat individ'l, whosomevah it is. An' in about three day's time dem parties will be back.
Entry 7471
If a man happen tuh kill a man an' he fall of his face. If he fall on 'is face, if yo' kin go dere tuh de spot where he fall, an' git some of dat dirt where his face wus lyin', an' take dat dirt an' carry it right tuh dis person house whut kill 'im, an' sprinkle it roun' in de yard, or undah de step where some of 'is family prob'ly walk ovah it, dat'll bring 'im back.
Entry 7540
Yo' go to an ole cemetery dat chew nevah been to befo' an' yo' reach down - reach down an' pick up a little of dis dirt, see. Yo' go to dese fo'ks of de roads - fo'ked disaway, fo'ked disaway an' fo'ked disaway [demonstrates]. (Make the form of a cross right in the road.) Dat's right, make a fom of a cross lak yo' take a pencil an' make a mark, see. Evah whut chew want - who yo' want done or whut chew want done, it Won't be long befo' dey'll be gone. Dat will do one or 'tuthah [the other] - run 'em off, see.
(You don't make a special wish or do something out there?)
Yeah, yo' kin make a wish fo' anything dat chew wanta happen.
Entry 7599
"Fore sunrise in de mawnin' yo' kin go. tuh de graveyard an' take a pen- ny an' put it in de centah of dat grave. An' run yore han' down dere an' take up some of dat dirt, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' yo' kin bring it back tuh dat person house dat chew wanta run away. an' sprinkle it all roun' dere house. In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' dash it an' don't look back.
(That will run them away?)
Dat'll run 'em away.
Entry 7618
Ah heard 'em say dat yuh kin go tuh de graveyard - lak dat, if ah Wants tuh change mah luck - dat ah kin go tuh de cemetery an' dig right up on de right-hand side of de grave jis' about where ah think de heart oughta lay, an' dig a hole down deep an' git me out two han'fulla dirt. Bring it out. An' when ah git dis dirt, ask fo' luck - jis' ask of de dead fo' luck, an' drop from five tuh eight pennies in dat hole an' plug it up. An' when ah rise up from off mah knees, tuh thank 'em [a rare courtesy!], an' walk away an' don't look back. Well, ah take dis dirt an' carry it tuh mah house an' sprinkle it roun' dere, an' dey say dat will give me luck.
(That is to change your luck. In anything?)
In anything.
Entry 7631
They git the dirt out of the graveyard and they stop that up in a bot- tle and they will come to yore house. If they don't like you, they come to yore house with that graveyard dirt. Mix it with a little salt and they sprinkles it underneath the steps. Then they stop the other one tight an' bury it. But chew not supposed to be home when dey do dat, and any time yo' go back to dat house why yore spirit is gone. Dat driv yore spirit away. Yo'd go to de house but chew can't stay.
Entry 7653
Yo' could go tuh de graveyard at twelve a'clock at night an' go tuh somebody grave dat chew know dat wuz not very long buried dere - dat chew know 'em by der name personly [personally], see. An' jis' scratch chew a hole right on de lef' side of de grave tuh de haid part, right where yo' 'magine de heart would be, an' run yore han' down in dere tuh de elbow an' drop three pennies in dere. Git dat sand right on out an' come on back home. Put some cayenne peppah intuh dat graveyard dirt. An' on de side of de baid where he always lay, on de front or de back where he always lay, yo' jis' take dat sand an' sprinkle it on de mattress. An' make yo' bed back up an' let 'im lay on dat. Dat will run 'im right off from yore house.
(You will get rid of him then?)
Git rid of 'im.
Entry 7655
Ah hear 'em say dat dey takes some graveyard dirt, if yo' have any man in yore community an' yo' wanted tuh move 'em. Yo' take an' yo' go tuh a sinnah man's grave an' git some of de dirt from right off on 'is left side of 'is heart. Jis' go right down in de grave till yo reach clay, an' take it out, an' take dat clay an' mix it up wit some sulphur an' magic sand.
(Magic sand?) [A hoodoo store product.]
Yessuh, magic san'. An' some dragon blood an' brimstone, an' mix all dat tuh- gethah. An' go in dat house wit'out anybody knowin' dat chew in dere, an' sprin- kle it when all de folk gone from de house. See, in de rooms, an' walk out wit'- out nobody knowin' yo' dere. Yo' know dat chew in dere an' make yore wishes. An' dey say dat dey'll have tuh go 'way from dere. Fayetteville, N. Car.,
(1420), 2560:1.]
Entry 7662
Go tuh de graveyard an' go tuh sundown part of de grave, an' git dat dirt an' carry tuh jes whoevah house yo' goin' carry it tuh. An' yo' sprinkle it all roun' de do'step where dey walks out, dey wouldn't [couldn'tl miss it. Put it down dere an' dey step in it, it wouldn't be ovah a veek 'fo' [before] dey die.
Entry 7666
If yo' want a person, tuh drive 'em away, yo' take de graveyard dirt. Take an' go tuh de centah of de graveyard an' git de graveyard dirt. If yo' wan'a person tuh drive 'em away, yo' name dem in de han's of God. Crawl halfway de dis- tance up undah de house. Bring de dirt tuh de front of de house an' cast it onto de front of de house. An' whatevah way dat chew go, yo' carry it right 'long wit chew an' name it as yo' go. An' de person will go de same distance. Dey will go, dey cain't stay.
(You carry that dirt and you scatter it as you go.)
Scattah it as yo' walk. Sow it jes' lak a person would sow oats.
(You crawl under the house first?)
Go undah de side of de house an' don't look back; jes' keep right on plowin' [crawling under housel, don' look back not atall.
(You crawl under the side of the house to the center?)
To de centah.
(And from the center where do you crawl?)
To de front, right on out tuh de front; right on out tuh de front, an' jes' keep right on. But don' look back.
Entry 7667
Dey said dey would take - jes' lak yo' kin go tuh de cemetery an' dey'd git dere a certain hour in de night, twelve a'clock in de night, an' git some dirt from a dead person grave. Dey moves de top of dat an' dig a hole about fo' inches deep, an' git some dirt den from dat, if dey wanted tuh make yo' sick or sompin. An' dey come tuh yore home an' be settin' down an' talkin' wit chew an' look undah yore desk or somewhere an' a pair of shoes or sompin othah dere. Dey jes' sprin- kle a li'le of dat dust, de dust of dat grave in yore shoe, an' it would cuz yore feet tuh become sore an' boily - break out in big sores.
Entry 7676
If any harm wuz roun' yore place, go tuh a graveyard tuh de wickest person dat chew know dey buried in dere. Yo' come in on de right-han' side of dat grave as near as yo' kin. (The right hand side as you enter, come to the head of the grave.) Yes, dat's it. An' yo' go down, run yore han' down in dere an' come out wit as much dirt as yo' kin hold in three fingers [demonstrates].
(In the thumb, the index and the middle finger of the right hand.)
Yes. Den yo' go ahead an' yo' git chew some bluestone, pound it up fine. Den yo' go tuh all fo' cornah of yore steps an' yo' sprinkle dat down, but yo' do's dat at nine-thirty at night. An' ah don' cah [care] whut nobody put tuh de dat steps, dat stuff will run it 'way from dere.
Entry 7682
Tuh put evil spirits behin' yo', yo' goes tuh a graveyard an' yo' gits de dirt off of a grave but chew do not git it offa a person grave dat died - dat wuz a Christian an' vent tuh heaven. Yo' gits it off a sinner's grave, a person dey know God won' pardon dere sins. See. An' when yo' goes tuh git dat dirt chew leaves a dime, an' yo' takes dat dirt an' sprinkle it anywhere where anybody's dead [alive] an' call dat person name whut's daid an' tell 'em yo' want 'em tuh to'ment 'em. An' dey will tō'ment dat person an' dey won' be able tuh stay no- where roun' where yo' puts dat dirt.
Entry 7685
Now, ah saw a woman throw graveyard dirt week fo' [before] las', an' ah know de woman is gone. She lef' evahthin' in de house [she left so fast]. (Well, how did she use that graveyard dirt?) Well, yo' gotta git it off a sinnahman's grave an' den yo' gotta put so much money in dis grave. Dey say dat's payin' 'em fo' de dirt. An' den yo' tell dat spirit tuh run 'em away. An' dat spirit runs 'em away.
(And then waht do you do with the dirt after you get the dirt?)
Yo' take de dirt, care [carry] it an' sprinkle it across dat do', or if yo' kin git it inside, put it inside - inside de house. An' if yo' cain't git it inside de house, jes' sprinkle it crossways de do' where dey gotta come ovah it.
Entry 7686
Dey say dat chew [a woman] could go tuh de cemetery, but yo' have tuh go dere at midnight, an' git dis graveyard dirt. Well, ah do know a woman dat says she went dere. Says she git dis graveyard dirt but yo' gits it outa de breast of a sinnah, a person dat chew know is a sinnah. Yo' go dere an' yo' git it right up outa his breast, an' tell 'im dat chew git- tin' dis heah dust an' yo' want it tuh hold sech-an'-sech-a-one. Yo' gittin dis - jes' lak yo' go an' git it, says So-an'-so, ah'm gittin' dis. Ah wan' chew tuh hold sech-an'-sech-a-one fo' me. An' yo' kin take dat graveyard dirt an' sprinkle it aroun' in yore house fo' nine mawnin's an' he [the man for whom the rite is worked] come an' tell yo' jes' evahthin' mos'ly dat he know. He'll come tuh tell yo' mos'ly evahthin' dat he know in de line of some woman dat he's been naggin' attah [after] or de woman naggin' attah 'im.
Entry 7688
Well, dis graveyard dirt, dey say dat'll drive anyone from yer home. Yuh take dat an' mix it wit salt an' some red peppah. An' dey say yo' take dat an' sprinkle it all aroun dese people home as neah tuh de home as yuh kin. An' dey say yuh have tuh talk to all dis stuff dat chew doin' an' say: In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' tell it whu' chew wan' it tuh do. An' dey say dat dey be Wantin' tuh leave dere.
Entry 7720
Well, yo' goes - yo' have tuh go dere twelve a'clock in de night an' git dat [dirt]. An' yo' bring dat back. Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' takes it [board] from de haid - yo' takes de haid, put de haid tuh de foot [board] an' de foot [board] tuh de haid. Den yo' go right down in de middle [of the grave] wit three cent in yore han'- go down in de middle. Yo' turn 'em loose dere an' yo' bring up dat dirt. Den yo' carry dat back home. An' yo' - jes' lak yo' wanta put it, yo' carry it tuh anyone's house; if yo' wanta run 'em off, throw it round de house. Jes' spread it roun' de house an' jes' call dere name, an' tell 'em yo' wan t'em tuh, "Go, yo' devil." Tell 'em tuh keep goin'. Cain't stay dere.
Entry 7721
If yo' sellin' likkah an' yo' wanted tuh keep de laws away, go tuh de cemetery an' make de change [of graveboards]. If yo' know dey all names, call dem names; an' if yo' didn't know de names, jes' use de word "of yore enemies" an' make yore wish, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost. An' bring some of that dirt back wit yo', an' leave three pennies. An' then take it an' mix it wit some salt an' red peppah. Sprinkle some on each side of yore house where dey's goin' tuh come up to dere, an' make yore wish on each side of it, "In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, make dat man stay away."
(That will keep the law away if you are bootlegging?)
Yes sir. Yo' make de changes in dat.
(Change the headboard and the footboard.)
In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost, an' bring some of dat dirt wit yo'. Take it tuh de co'thouse aftah yo' mix it wit salt an' red peppah; take it tuh de co'thouse an' sprinkle it aroun' dere.
Entry 7733
You can take graveyard dust and sprinkle in your bed, sprinkle in your bed nine times - once on each of nine consecutive days, that'll fix them so they'll die.
Entry 7743
Yo' go out tuh de fo'ks of de road now, lak if yo' have a boy friend an' yo' want 'im tuh go, or if yo' wan' 'im tuh come back. Yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, de heart of de road heah, an' take yore foot or else a long stick an' make a, yo' know, a trench long enough tuh spread salt an' sulphur [demonstrates]. (You make a trench like that.) Yes, tuh each one of de fo'ks of de road. Yo' know when de road fo'ks, it fo'ks sompin lak dat [demonstrates]. Well, yo' take an' make yore lines sompin lak dat [demonstrates].
(Make and "x".)
Yes. An' yo' have yore salt an' yore sulphur an' graveyard dirt an' yo' put it in dere, sprinkle it down. Have enough tuh put in dere, an' den yo' tell it whut tuh do. Yo' use graveyard dirt, dat's very good.
(What did you tell it to do now?)
Well now, lak now, if yo' want dem tuh come back. Or if yo' want 'em tuh [be] gone, say, "Go", whichevah direction yo' want. Say, "Go, dis way or dat way, or dat way, an' don't nevah return." But if yo' say, "Wherevah yo' are, if yo' in de no'th, so'th, east or west, come back tuh me."
(You can do it either way?)
Yes.
Entry 7787
Take a chicken alg an' go tuh a ant hill an' dig down in dat hill an' git some dirt an' a red ant. An' den go tuh de woods an' git a young oak tree, a oak tree dat's got jis' kinda sprouts tuh it. An' dey come back wit it an' take it, an' go intuh a kinda forks in de road 'bout where anybody, yo' know, 'spect [expect] tuh walk on. An' den if fellah [lover] or fren' is gone away, take an' bury dat. Yo' know, bury dose things down tuh de ground an'take dat red ant, egg an' all, an' put ovah de top of it, an' dey say dat will bring 'em back.
[Informant now illustrates rite with following story:]
Dey talk about a ole man an' he didn't want 'is daughtah tuh stay 'way. He vent out tuh de red ants' baid an' he got de fo'ks of a li'le tree, an' buried it down tuh de fo'ks of road in de direction which she went, wit graveyard dirt, an' told it whut he want done. An' 'is daughtah came back an' she's up dere tuh 'is house right now.
(You mean just this little small fork off the tree?)
Yes jis' a li'le small fo'k about where it will not be noticed. An' bury it in de direction in which she's gone. Jis' use de graveyard dirt an' tell it whut chew want done an' sprinkle dat graveyard dirt ovah it. (You mean the fork at the tip of a [branch], you cut that off that red oak tree?) Yessuh.
Entry 7806
From personal experience, yo' would go in de cemetery an' git dirt at a cer'in hour at night, an' dat hour would be twelve, 'tween twelve an' one, an' yo' would take dat if possible an' sprinkle it in de no'th cornah; an' if not possible, yo' Would sprinkle it aroun' de house nine diff'ren' times. In less dan nine days dey'd be moved wit'out any trouble. If yo' know how tuh kill it, in case if someone knew dat, had de ideah of dat, he'd do de same thing wit brown salt [salt browned on stove]. Take table salt an' as yo' sprinkle at night, why he'd git up in de mawnin' an' sprinkle ag'in, an' dat would kill it.
[As informant said, this sprinkling is done 9 times.]
(What kind of salt?)
Table salt. Yo' take it an' brown it an' dat will kill it. Now, dat's from personal experience. Ah know dat.
Entry 7864
Take graveyard dirt an' red peppah. Jes' lak if yo' seen somebody yo' hated, why yo' go where yo' think dey walk at in de mawnin'. Go 'fore sun [before sunrise] in de mawnin' Where dey git up an' walk ovah it. Sprinkle it roun' in de yard yo' see, an' den dey'll walk ovah it. Yo' kin fix dem lak dat.
(What will that do to them?)
Well, sometimes it will give dem - dere feet will swell up or dere laigs or somepin lak dat, an' dey can't git it off dem until dey go tuh some root person or somepin lak dat.
Entry 7887
Yo' kin take dat [graveyard dirt] an' put hit wit sulphah an' salt, black sut [soot] out de chimley [chimney] an' take it an' walk by a person dō nine nights, an' if dey don' see yuh [sprinkling this mix- turel, ah guarantee yuh aftah nine nights, de twelf' night dey move. Sprinkle it down.
Entry 7908
If yo' want a job, when yo' git ready fo' dis job, yo' go an' git chew some sulphuh an' git chew some dirt from de graveyard. An' yo' - jes' lak yo' goin' tuh dis job - yo' git tuh de house, yo' sprinkle dis roun' de house. An' when yo' sprinkle dis roun' de house, den yo' could walk up on de do' an' knock at de do'. An' ask fo' de job an' yo' do dat fo' nine mawnin's, an' in de ninth mawnin' yo'll git dis job.
(You mean you sprinkle this in front of the boss' house or the job?)
Yes [at the home of the boss].
(All the way round the house?)
Not all de way roun' de house, jes' from de front. Lak dat's de cornah [demon- strates], from dere tuh de cornah of de house.
(Just to the front of the house?)
Yes.
Entry 7917
Dey say yo' take graveyard dust an' sprinkle it around yore house three times in succession befo' leavin', an' dey say yo'll leave dere - yo' can't stay dere. [For a hazy statement like this one I normally would ask Who sprinkles? Who leaves? Probably I forgot to restart recording when questions began. This could be called a typical spite rite. To get even with the rentman, the departing renter on leav- ing for the last time throws back through the door 3 sprinkles of graveyard dirt. Whether vocally expressed or not, the departing person does this in the Three Holy Names! The next occupant will not be able to remain in the house.]
Entry 8052
Yo' go in de woods. Yo' make it tuh de woods, way outa town, an' yo' turn in an' git chew a black line, a thread line - a thread line dat's black, a spool of thread. (Like a black fishing line?) Dat's right, lak a black fishin' line. An' yo' turn in an' git chew two needles. Yo' bring it [demon- strates] from heah an' yo' roll dat lak dat, reel it out from heah, jis' lak yo' stealin' dis whiskey. Jis' lak yo' in dere stealin' dis whiskey, yo' draw dat fishin' line, see, right on out. Yo's right in heah. Yo' be settin' heah, an' yo' draw dat fishin' line right on out. Well, yo' git den an' yo' stop an' yo' have a li'le yore watah in a tin can, yore pee in it already, an' yo' po' [pour] dat right down. Evah time yo' stops it [the line] po' it down. All right, yo' keep right on runnin' [out the line] an' go a certain distance. Ah [would] say yo' go about, aw jis' a short step, yo' know, aroun' an' den yo' stop an' yo' drop a li'le bit of it [urine]. Well, yo' keep right on a-runnin' [the line] an' see, yo' stop an' yo' drop a li'le of yore pee dere. An' yo' keep right a-rumnin' an' yo' stop ag'in an' yo' put a li'le pee dere. An' yo' git right back where yo' started off an' put some mo' yore pee dere.
[The urine is sprinkled in a circle about his liquor. This is to protect it.]
All right. Den yo' look aroun'. Well, ah did dis In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat ah may rest from all evil, an' dat ah may die [several words], an' chunk it on away. All right, den yo' back up an' yo' git up on dis lak dis heah. Yo' back up off it, see, where yo' stop at. Yo' backed up an' yo' look at it [your whiskey]. Yo' stop five minutes an' yo' don't say a word. Yo' look at it. Den yo' walk back up to it an' yo' look at it ag'in. Den yo' back up. Den when yo' back up yo' look in dat direction an' jis' turn an' look an' jis' walk in dat direction. An' when yo' git out in dat direction, yo'll have a seat an' set down dere jis' a few minutes an' look at it. Don't say a word. Jis' look jis' fo' a few minutes. Den yo'll leave from dere an' yo'll go tuh a graveyard. An' if yo' kin git holt of a man's toes, yo' git holt of about fo' or five of de toes tuh fo'k [fork into the ground] roun' [the goods for sale]. Yo' stick 'em in de ground, yo know, round [the liquor], yo' see. An' den yo' say, Ah hope dis will be a fence fo' all [to keep everyone away], In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' de Holy Ghost. Well, devils [evil spirits] will be dere, see an' dat will keep dem dere [those] mens [low men] from comin' in lookin' fo' yo' makin' dis whiskey. Dey drove [are driven] away [by this protection] but yo' dere, but yo' know who dey are. See, yo' keep 'em drove away, but chew stay dere, but dey cain't stay dere. DEY'LL BE FRIGHTENED. WHEN DEY COME AN' CREEP AN' STOP, BEGIN TUH LOOK, DEY'LL GIT FRIGHT- ENED. SOMPIN WILL HIT 'EM ON DE BACK, SEE, AN' DEY'LL GRAB DEY PISTOL AN' TURN ROUN' AN' DERE'S NUTHIN. YO' HAVE HEARD OF THINGS SLAPPIN' PEOPLE. AH KNOW YO' KNOW.
(You said you get two needles. What did you do with those needles?)
Yo' take dose two needles - yo' take dose two needles an' yo' put 'em up on top of dis heah stove, jis' set 'em up dere. See, dat's tuh mean fo' sharp luck. Yo' carry dem needles fo' sharp luck. Yo' put dem needles up dere an' yo' cross 'em, see. Now, dem needles is dere fo' dem devils. See, dem needles is dere fo' dem devils, undahstan'. Dem needles is goin' p'int [point] at dem devils, undah- Stan'. WHEN AH CALLS DEVILS, DEM GUYS COMIN' IN DERE GOIN' TRY TUH RUN YO' OUT. WELL, AH WANTA HAVE DEVILS DERE STRONGAH AS DEY IS, an' dem needleS goin' hold 'em, dey is crossed, undahstan'. Well, ah'll look roun', see, an' put it dere, an' den got de stuff from de graveyard, yo' see, done got dem folk's toes, dem daid toes if it ain't nuthin but de bones. Ah got de toes. Well, ah done named dem, see. Ah name, jis' say, de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, dat dey may keep 'way all devils. Well, when dem othah devils [law men] come, see, up dere tuh ketch me an' carry me down an' lock me up in jail, dese things will keep dem PartieS Off. DEY CAIN'T NEVAH GIT IN DERE, DEY'S ALWAYS SCARED OUT. AN' EVAH TIME DEY PULL OUT DEY PISTOL AN' GO TUH SHOOT, DEY'LL LOSE IT OR SOMPIN, DEY CAIN'T SHOOT.
Entry 8093
If he's gone fah [far] off, yo' could...an' clip each cornah off it [photograph] an' stick it down, yo' know, lak in a crack an' sprinkle table salt ovah dat, an' yo' make urinate dere fo' nine mawnin's, an' he'll be back.
(Just stick it down in the crack?)
Yes.
Entry 8775
Ah heard dey take new war watah an' dey sprinkle it aroun' yore do's an' dey'd call yore name. An' den when yore husband or yore wife come in de night, yo' an' dem would have de biggest kind of humbug. Yo' wouldn't know whut is all de fuss. De' sprinkle war watah all up onto de do'.
Entry 8785
See, lak yo' start today. Well, yo' jes' git chew some steel dust an' sprinkle it all roun' dat house. An' git dere name an' some cayenne peppah an put it all - mix it all up dere togethah, wit some brown cinna- mon an' sugah. An' shake all dat aroun' dere. Throw it all up on dat window sill. An' curse 'em. Yo' know, give 'em a bad name. An' den take dey name an' jes' bring dat name in de window, yo' know, an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef. See, lak dat, an' ah guarantee yo' in two days he done left. He be walkin'. He cain't find no place in world tuh stay. Nobody want 'im. Wanta git rid of 'im an' all. Won't leave him stay. [To get rid of the man in the house, his spirit is tricked by carrying his name, his captured spirit, into house through a window. This confuses the spirit so that it no longer knows how to enter normally through the door. We have a similar piece of magic in the funeral rite in which coffin is' removed from house through window instead of door.]
Entry 8822
They kin take yore han'- writin' - dey kin receive a lettah from yo'. Dey take dat lettah an' dey clip all four cornahs of it, see. Don't clip the whole lettah, clip all fo' cornahs of it off like dat, see. Dey take dat lettah den an' dey burn a little hole in it right in de middle, see. Aftah dey have burnt dat den, dey goes out an' dey. gets a lizard, an' dey takes an' dey kills dis lizard, yo' see. An' dey parches 'im up to where dey kin make a powdah out of it. Aftah dey make dat powdah, den dey sprinkle it all ovah dat lettah, yo' see. Dey folds dat lettah up good, see, an' dey folds it up an' dey take it an' bury it some place in de ground, yo' see, an' yo' lose control of dat hand.
(I see.)
Entry 8840
Yo' have tuh go tuh de grave tuh do dis. Go tuh de graveyard an' go down in a man's grave an' yo' have a penny in yore hand. Run yore han' down in de grave - it make no diff'- rent which han' - run yore han' down in de grave an' leave dis penny an' come up wit de dirt. An' take dis writin' an' sprinkle it [dirt] right 'cross dat writin', an' fold it up, an' lay it undah de lid [cover] of de Bible. An' ah don't care whut she done or nuthin, yo' kin 'tract [attract] her anywhere he want tuh by dis dirt. (You take her writing? Her handwriting, a letter she wrote to you, and you can make any kind of a wish and she'll do anything you want her to do?) Yes.
Entry 8919
If yo' wanted to go some place an' yo' wanted to - yo' just get yo' some mistletoe. Yo' boil dat mistletoe an' shrimps together.
(Shrimps?)
Mistletoe and shrimps. Yo' boil dat together an' yo' put some German Hearts Perfume with dat. (German Heart's Perfume?) German Hearts Perfume. Yo' put dat with de mistletoe an' de shrimps, yo' boil all dat together, an' yo' wash yore house good an' sprinkle dat. An' yo' could go out an' leave your door open, ain't nobody comin' in dere.
(To steal anything?)
No, sir, to steal anything.
Entry 8993
Yo' wanta know 'bout whut ah would do to keep people 'way from me. Ah go ketch one dese wild birds an' ah pull a feather out of his right wing an' burn it, an' burn quick- silvah with it, an' ah sprinkle this around the co'thouse do'. Well, dat beat 'em in all sech case.
(That is to beat a lawsuit case.)
Entry 9029
Ah see whut it done an' done fo' me, but den yo' has a word tuh speak tuh it. If yo' wanta git dat, nuthin but gunpowdah, sulphur, aftah yo' git dat nest. Yo' git de sulphuh an' bluestone an' den dirt daubah out de nest an' dat black pep- pah. An' yo' make a good pow- dahs an' yo' kin sprinkle it anywhere roun' dere, jes' where de judge an' all de rest gotta come in ovah. When dey come inside of dat do' dere, an' dey walk ovah dere, dat settle it. Dat fur as ah know 'bout dat. An' ah've seen dat happen.
Entry 9039
Well, now, in a lawsuit or sompin lak dat, chew go tuh a graveyard an' dig down in dere jes' 'bout jes' as deep as yo' kin reach down in dere wit de arm, an' git dat befo' co't. An' if yo' git a chance tuh go in dere, sprinkle some of it aroun' down where de judge sits. An' in de lawsuit - if yo' steal somepin or somepin lak dat - yo' be lucky in dat case.
Entry 9080
Ah hear'd dey kin git dis root dey call John de Conkah root, see, an' Eve-an'-Adam root, an' take dat root an' boil [usually sounds like ball] it up tuhgethah. If dey kin git tuh de co'thouse see, when dey un- lock it, git it an' sprinkle a aisle around de judge seat. [Sprinkle a circle about judge's chair.] Den dey will set back when yo' come in tuh where de prisonahs is. Den dey'll sit back an' eye de judge right in de eye. See, hol' [hold] dere hand on de vial what have de John de Conkah root an' Eve-an'-Adam balled [boiled] up in it. See. Dey go tuh co'thouse in de mawnin'.
(You said at an hour didn't you? What do you mean by that hour?)
Dey go dere jes' befo' de co'thouse unlock, befo' dey come in. An' dey sprinkle de aisle. Dey take de watah what dey boil up: de John de Conkah an Adam-an'-Eve root, an' gingah, & an' ten grains of black peppah. Dey'll take dat an' sprinkle it - wit de aisle an' aroun' ovah de prisonah box.
(Oh! The prisoner's box. I see, up the aisle.)
[Informant's eye or letter i had bothered me! Aisle!]
An' where de judge goes up intuh his seat, see dey do dat, an' den when de judge is talkin' tuh yuh, yo' gotta look 'im right in de eye. See [if] dey kin git de judge's eye, look 'im right in de eye. An' if de sentence - it Ziminated down. [All this reduces the sentence.] If it's ten yeahs, it Ziminated down tuh three or fo' yeahs. Ah've hear'd dat.
Entry 9152
Say fo' instance, now, dat yo' wus mah boss an' yo' done sompin tuh someone in de wrong [you wrong someone]. Well, yo' in jail an' yo' know yo' goin' [be] sent up de road [to the penitentiary, state prison in U. S. A.]. Ah goes an' gits 20 cents wuth of black peppah, 25 cents wuth of cai-yanne [cayenne] pep- pah, one pound of grana- lated [granulated] sugah, one package of Rex cloves, an' one package of Rex cinnamon.
(That's [Rex is] the name of the Brand?)
Dat's right,15 cents wuth of spice. An' mix all dat tuhgethah an' go in de co'troom dat mawnin'. Sprinkle some roun' de judge's stand an' some roun' de vitness stand. Den start tuh sprinklin' it out de do' tuh two blocks away from de place. An' when de witness gits dere, he's goin' back [especially if he sees anything sprinkled]. He's not comin' dere. He ain't goin' come dere.
(That is if he is coming there to talk against me?)
[I have not forgotten that I am the guinea pig: yo' know yo' goin' be sent up de road. No suh. He ain't goin' come dere. Dey'll call yore case up maybe three times, an' each time ah'm doin' dat fo' yo'. See, yo' in dere an' ah'm out. An' de third time he call it up or de fo'th time, he'll dismiss yo'. We cain't git de witness an' he cain't be located. He ain't goin' be at 'is house.
Entry 9155
Ah seen a fellah do dis one time, an' it come out - it come out really true, right heah on de corner of [some street]. It wuz heah in dis town, mah home town. He tuk, he went tuh anothah fellah dat stayed up heah along de road, supposed tuh be a kind of a root doctah. He went tuh dis fellah. He had called him a...or sompin othah, a purtty bad man. He went up tuh dis fellah an' dis fellah wuz standin' round, say, "Yo' boys come in dis room." Told 'im, "All right." Ah'd gone up dere wit 'im. Ah went on in de room wit 'im. He gave dis boy an' he say, "Yo' do jes' lak ah tell yo' when yo' go in de co't." De boy tole 'im, "Yessuh." He give dis boy somepin - he mixed somepin, said it wuz a salve, sulphuh wit black peppah an' he got, ah think some sage tea. Den he went got him a whole lotta snails. Not no whole lotta snails but li'le articles of sands. An' he tuk [took] an' put dem in a snuffbox an' stirred it up. Aftah he put it in dis snuffbox he stirred it up an' he tole dis boy, says, "Will yo'all step out in dis othah room?" So we stepped out intuh de othah room. We didn't know what exactly [what to expect]. So we stepped out intuh de othah room, an' he tole dis boy, said, "Now yo' take dis stuff an' has de box right in yore han', jes' about lak yo' hold de palm of yore hand, an' put it in yore right-hand pocket; an' when yo' go up dere in de co'troom an' when dey call yo', yo' called up on de stand, an' when yo' go on dere, yo' take dis stuff. Don' let nobody see it. Jes' lak yo' got chure han' in yore pocket, an' jes' take some of dis stuff an don't be watchin' whut chew doin'. An' take it as yo' goin' up dere on de stand an' jes' sprinkle it round lak yo' brushin' dis hand right down de side of de judge." An' he said, "Ah'll guarantee yo' dey won't do anything 'bout chw - guarantee yo'll git out, won't go no time." (Well, what about this other stuff, this salt and sand that was sprinkled around. He put this salt and stuff with this sand and sprinkled it around?) Yessuh, mixed it all up tuhgethah.
Entry 9167
If yo' had a case an' yo' gotta go befo' de judge, befo' yo' go tuh bed at night, yo' kin take yore watah, take yore chamber lye, an' stop it up in a bottle. An' yo' gotta go tuh co't tuhmahrah - we'll say tuhmahrah. Well, yo' do dis three days befo' yo' gotta go tuh co't. Stop it up in a bottle an' when yo' stop it up in dere, put black peppah an' salt in it. An' when yo' go tuh de co'thouse have a cork stoppah in it. Don't have no top on it, no hard top on it. Have a cork in it. When yo' git dere, jis' sprinkle it round in de co'thouse, an' de p'lice won' appeah up on yo' an' de judge won't be dere. Some of 'em gotta be dismissed, de' goin' be sick.
Entry 9402
Jes' lak dis man is heah in dis house an' ah didn't want 'im livin' heah - jis' lak fo' 'im tuh move outa heah - ah'd git me three aigs an' dey have tuh be rotten dough [though], dey have tuh be rotten eggs. Ah throw dem aigs ag'inst dis house, but ah goes nine steps backwards an' ah throw 'em ovah mah shouldah. Dat's whut ah do wit dem aigs den. It be any time of night or any time of day. An' den ah come dere an' sprinkle a li'le dust aroun' dere, dis same dust whut ah got, graveyard dust, an' dey couldn't stay dere. Dey gotta leave.
(You walk backwards from the house?)
Nine steps, nine steps backwards. Not backwards from de house, backwards tuh de house. Jis' lak if ah wuz 'cross de street, ah'd walk backwards tuh de house, not from it, den throw 'em ovah mah lef' shouldah.
Entry 9416
An' den ah kin [take] a aig ag'in - JIS' LAK YO' WUZ MAH OLE MAN OR SOMEPIN ANOTHAH an' yo' had a woman an' ah knew 'er name. Write both of yo'all [you all] name on each one of dese aigs jis' lak ah wuz showin' yo' [Cylinder changed, also author's sex!] [nO- tice lady not woman]. Ah heard yo' were wit mah hus- ban' an' ah knew yuh name. Well, ah would put yuh name on one egg an' mah husban' on de othah one. Good fresh aigs. An' ah'd [I would] go tuh de rivah an' ah wanted yo'all to scat out an' separated, why ah'd go to de rivah an' jis' In de Name of de Lord, say, well, "Ah bus' [bust] yo'all up In de Name of de Lord." Jis' take dose eggs an' jis' smash 'em tuhgethah. Jis' stan' dere an' hol' dem [hold them over the water] until dey dreens [drain] out [of the shells]. Den yo' takes dese shells an' yo' bring dese shell home. Well, yo' put dis shell on top of yuh stove if yo' kin, or somepin clean glittah [glitter], where dere ain't no grease at, an' parch dat shell good an' brown. An' take dat [powdered or small pieces of shell] an' sprinkle it all ovah yuh house, an' all in yuh baid, an' all aroun' yuh doah jis' as much - lightly, yo' know, take an' sprinkle. He wu'd [would] nevah think of 'er [again]. [Memphis, Tenn., (962), 1553: loa.]
Entry 9449
"Fore yo' go down tuh de bossman, yo' git chew some salt, git chew a box-a [box of] bran'-new salt. Den yo' take dat salt an' tie it up in a new piece a yellah homespun, an' yo' put it in yore pocket. An' yo' take yo' some loose salt, have it in yore han', an' yo' sprinkle it all roun' where yo' - [do] not let chure boss see it - all roun' where yore boss makes tracks at. Sprinkle it all roun' dere an', see, salt conkahs. Salt is a conkah thing. Salt conkahs a lotta things yo' know, jes' even cookin' salt. Yo' kin do a lotta things wit salt. Dat's good.
Entry 9452
Anythin' lak dat yo' wanta do an' jis' be's aroun' dere [the bossman] an' yo' have dis pot salt in yore han'. An' why? Yo' know, yo' jis' throw it aroun' an' it's some words yo' say an' it'll work: Mah jus- tice comin' from de Lord an' ah trust 'im tuh regulate all mah affairs. An' it's de words dat yo' kin repeat in de Bible an' it'll work out all right.
(And this boss will give you a job?)
Yes.
(Are those all the words you say?)
Yes.
(Do you say those words just once?)
No, yo' jis' [do] dat [demonstrates]. (While you are sprinkling that salt around. That's in the Bible, you say? Those words are in the Bible?) Yeah, it's in de Bible. [Those italicized words are not in the Bible but the two ideas expressed are Biblical.]
Entry 9473
An' dere's anothah thing dat she kin do or he kin do at de home an' [if] dey can't git along tuhgethah. If he comes back, tuh keep 'em from squab- blin' so much, she kin take a li'le salt, cookin' salt, sprinkle it aroun', in de house, roun' de, 'bout de do'step in cases lak dat, an' he'll be quiet or she'll be quiet.
Entry 9478
Yo' takes cookin' salt an' sprinkle it in front de do', sprinkle fer t'ree mawnin's. Den de fo'th mawnin' de people will move out. Evah mawnin about - time about 'fo' 6 o'clock.
Entry 9479
There's several dif- ferent methods to work at it. The one method, why you would get up in the morning at three o'clock and take three hands of salt, and throw 'em across the door and make your wishes. And sometimes it have a tendency to make 'em move.
Entry 9502
If yo' kin git intuh dere house, take table salt an' carry it tuh de front do' an' throw it out. Jes' come right straight through de house, sprin- klin' it as yo' walk through, an' sprinkle it down an' name it till yo' git tuh de walk where it goin' out [to street or road] an' dey'll move out very shortly behin' yo'. (You go in the back door and walk right through the house?) Walk right through the house an' sprinkle it as yo' go out.
Entry 9536
Dey tell me, git chew some salt when dey goin' [from your house]. Start where dey got up from an' carry it on an' sprin- kle. Throw it out de do' an call dere name an' tell 'em tuh go. Den take up de broom an' sweep dat same salt out chare do'. Dey won't come back.
Entry 9559
Jes' take some red peppah, dis cayenne peppah an' salt, table salt an' jes' sprinkle it all in de house, an' dat'll cuz confusion or a bad sepa- ration.
Entry 9587
[My informant gives the complete rite first and then much later during the interview adds a note about it.l And then they say you kin take and put salt and pepper in your shoe, if you wmta git a fellow. You know, take salt and pepper and put it in and wear it in ygmr shoes.
(In both shoes?)
Yes, in both shoes - yes.
(That's to get him?)
You know, they have a little saying about: If you want a fellow, I'll tell you what to do Just get some salt and pepper And wear it in your shoe Just red pepper, you know. Not black pepper, but red pepper you know.
(That's a little song, you say?)
Yes, but you wanta get a box of salt that ain't even been used out of, you see. Go to the store and buy you a brand-new box of salt. Then you wanta get you a strand of [red] pepper: [pep- per pods] where's never any been used off it. See, if there's any been used off it, it's not any good. See, get you a strand of pepper where there's none ever ben used off it. And then you get a pod - you get you three pods of pepper in your shoe. And you cut one up in one shoe and you cut the other up. You cut half a one [pod] in this one [shoe] and half in the other [shoe]. And each time you cut the pepper you sprinkle some of that salt, you see, and make your wish.
(In doing that you use three pods of pepper?)
Yes, you use three pods.
(You put half in one shoe and half in the other?)
Half in one and half in the other.
(And you cut the second pepper in half?)
Yeah, you... (I [you] cut the first pepper in half, then you put some salt on top of that in the shoe and make your wish?) And make your wish. (Then you take another pepper and cut it in half and put it in the shoe, and then put salt and make the wish, that way?) Yes, three times.
(I see.)
That makes just three times cuttin' [3 peppers or cut] and you make your wish co see him. And then you wait three days to see him. An' he doesn't do like you want him to do in those three days, why you do that again, you see. But you use tree pods of pepper then. Well, probably see, he might come but not up to like yoa'd like for him to come. Well, you'd use three more, see. That makes nine pods, see, and then that makes nine days. See, everything works at nine days. And you know, they say for the right conjuration and for it to do right like you wmt it to do, you wants to work it on the last quarter of the moon, when it's dark nights, and then you see the results on the growing of the new moon. You see, as the new moon grows, why he'll come to you. [This is often called a put- ting-together rite. In the following subsection see onion cut into 4 parts, No.9596.]
Entry 9598
If yo' don't know dey name or sompin lak dat, git chew some salt, black peppah an' sugah an' ground real fine. Yo'll have tuh beat it as a powdah. Jes' take yore rollah an' roll it jes' intuh a powdah. Sprinkle it all aroun' yore house, yo' see, tuh keep off all evils. Yo' sprinkle red peppah an' lye behin it. Dat simple thing. Den yo' kin git chew some dis chlorine salve. It's whut chew call - it's sompin lak a asic [acid] - an' dat keeps anyone from roun' yore house, close aroun'. Yo' kin use it about chure body, dat draws all yore enemies away. An' yo' kin use it as a chloride salve, jes' plain chloride salve without asic an' as adraw- in' card, fo' people's tuh yo'. But jes' dis plain chloride asic is tuh keep 'em from yo', from doin' yo' bodily harm.
Entry 9612
If you want a person to move, you have to take a stormy night when it is raining real hard. But you gotta take a couple of pods of red pepper and nine pinches of salt and you gotta burn it. Parch it in the oven to look like dirt you know and just cook it right together. Brown it till it looks like dirt. And take a plain paper, if you know de person's name- - you don't, you find it out. Write his name nine times forwards and nine times backwards. [To write for- eards and backwards means to write the name normally turn the paper upside down, repeating the name on top of the first one. This is called crossing names.] Then parch the paper, salt and pepper all together and make a powder. Den a stormy night like we done having storms and all, don't care if it raining hard, you go up to their hall. Don't look back [going or returning] and throw this stuff and come on out. And they'll move in less time from three to nine days. They won't stay there. They kin own the property, they'll rent it out, but they gon't stay.
Entry 9617
(To make somebody move?) Yeah. Yo' git salt an' yo' git sugah an' yo' git cayenne peppah an' yo' mix dose tuhgethah. An' as dis person goin' outa de house, why yo' jis' sprinkle dat on behin' 'em. Dey're goin' some place.
Entry 9618
Wal, ah tell yuh how dey do dat. Dey take some salt an' sulphuh an' red peppah an' mix it tuhgethah. Go dere at night, chew know, an' sprinkle it ovah huh po'ch [her porch], right down in fron' of 'er do'step. Den she gits all intendin' tuh leave dere. She can't stay on account'a dat red peppah jis' runs 'er crazy.
(That will make her move out of the house.)
Entry 9624
Sulphah an' red peppah an' put nine teaspoonsful of salt in it, an' bary it to de back do' an' to yore front do', an' dey couldn't stay dere tuh ave dere life. Dey may stay two or three weeks but dey won' stay. (You mean in the house or around the house?) No, yo' jes' bury it right undah yore back steps. An' den go to yore front step an' bury it 'bout de same place - under de front steps. An' dey couldn't stay dere to save dere life.
Entry 9636
If dey put anything down fo' yo', yo' undahstan' to hurt chew or cripple yo' or anythin' so yo' can't walk. Yo' take dat peppah, cayenne peppah an' salt an' sulphuh, an' mix dat tuhgethah an' sprinkle it aroun' undah yore do'step, an' aroun' yore place whare yo' walk. Quite nec'sary [necessary] yo' weah some of dat in yore shoes. Well yo' see, dey can't do anythin' to yo', can't hurt chew when yo' got dat peppah in dere. It keeps dat down.
Entry 9647
Ah've heard it said, yo' kin take table salt an' black peppah. As dey go out de do' yo' sprinkle it behin' dem, an' yo' take de broom an' yo' sweep it out behin' den. And dey say dey will leave an' dey won't evah come back dere no more.
Entry 9650
(Before the law comes, what do you do to keep them out?) It's not possible tuh keep 'em away. Dey have tuh come once in ordah tuh keep 'em away. Well, yo' use de black peppah an' salt an' sprinkle it behin' dem at evah footstep dat dey make, an' den sweep it out behin' dem lak dat.
(Then they won't come back again.)
Yessuh. An' sometime yo' kin use sulphuh 'long wit it.
Entry 9657
Well, if you bothered by the law, you take - even for the law, any- body - you get you some parchment [paper]. Here's your door here. [Informant begins to demonstrate.] You hang you some parchment up by your door. [Imitation parchment was sold as genuine and often considered holy.] You hang that parchment up by your door, on this side, and hang you a box of salt on the other. Don't let the salt be - get you a fresh box of salt. Just like that nail is there [informant points to nail]. See that nail? Well you put you a nail up right there [demonstrates].
(On one side of the door.)
On one side of the door. And you hang that salt up there. And over that, between that parchment and that salt, you put you up a loaf of bread.
(You have the parchment on one side and the salt on the other.)
You see, you've got the parchment here and you got the salt here.
(The parchment on the right hand side and the salt on the left.)
And the salt on the left. Now, right in the center, you put you a loaf of bread [demonstrates].
(Above the door.)
Above the door. See. you put you up a loaf of bread. He can come in: the captain, the sergeant, the lieutenant - all of them can come in there when you do that. They ain't going to bother you. Now, when they come in, if they come in, but they might not get no further than right to the door. They might just look in, they ain't going to bother nobody. They going to go away. You see. And when they go away, you sprinkle sugar behind them, after they gone. When they turn their face to go, you sprinkle sugar behind them, you see. You sprin- kle sugar and that'll keep 'em going all the time. They'll never come back. If they come back, they won't bother you. You understand what I mean? They won't bother you. Just sprinkle that sugar behind 'em and they won't bother you at all.
Entry 9669
Yessuh, dere's somethin' dey kin git tuh git 'em away. Git 'em high Life an' saltpetah an' salt an' sandalwood incense, an' mix it up an' throw aroun' yore house evah mawnin' befo' de sun rise. (What is high life?) Ah dunno. It's somethin' yo' git outa de drug sto'. It looks jes' kinda greenish lookin'.
(Is it a powder or a liquid?)
It's a powdah. It's kinda lak sulphuh but chew cain't sprinkle it down where it rains, 'cuz it swells 'way up. Yo' use it when it's dry weathah.
Entry 9670
Well, ah been tricked one time by some of mah things. A girl lived in our home an' she fell out wit me concernin' a man. She'd taken a dress of mine, one of mah monthly period cloths, an' some of mah hair an' got underneath de ahm [arm] where ah sweat at, an' taken it an' cared [carried] it across [town] tuh a man [cunjureman]. (Wait a minute! What did she get from under your arm, the hair or just the sweat?) De sweat from de dress. An' she'd taken it tuh a man an' she had it mixed wit graveyard dirt, peedles an' pins an', well one or two mo' thing but de man [healer I went to] didn't name 'em, see. He put it in a jah [jar] an' brought it back tuh our house unbeknown tuh all of us, late hour of de night, an' buried it. Now, it wus buried out 'bout along by de lavatory, see. Well, one Sunday mawnin' ah was sittin' on de po'ch an' ah got up an' ah went out tuh de lavatory. An' ah had a spell. From den ah commenced tuh feel as though....
(What kind of a spell did you have? How did you feel?)
Ah felt as though ah was dyin' fo' a few minutes. Well, ah started back tuh de house an' when ah got back home, ah tole mothah tuh call de doctah. Our lavatory was out from de house. An' she said, "Well, whut's de mattah? Yo' don't look sick?" Ah said, "Well, ah am." She said, "Well, yo' don't look sick." An' so ah went on de porch. She said, "Go back an' lay down, if yo' want me tuh call de doctah. Don't stan' on de front porch." Ah said, "Well, ah cain't lay down." While she was callin' de doctah ah went runnin' down tuh de drug store. Seemed as though mah mind wus leavin' me, see. An' all ah could have on mah mind right den was dyin' or eithah seein' mahsel' confined in a 'sylum. See? An', well ah got back home an' de doctah came out. He examined me thoroughly. He said nuthin was wrong. Well, ah knowed it was somepin wrong. Still, he said it wasn't anything wrong. Well, mah mothah tried two mo' doctahs. Both of 'em said dere wasn't anything wrong. She'd taken me crosstown tuh a man by de name of Mr. Lee [a root doctor].
(What town was this?)
Waycross, Georgia. Yes. An' ah went ovah dere on Lee Avenue tuh Mr. Lee. An' he tole me of dese things dat had been taken from me. An' tole me dat de onliest way dat he could get dis spell offa me was tuh dig dese things up. An' tole me de charges of diggin' it up. An' he say he knowed dat ah didn't have much money, an' ah could pay dis on installments. See, dat he would charge me $25 fo' takin' dese things up. See. So he charged de $25 an' mah mothah paid 'im ten of it down. He came ovah tuh our house an' he digged dese things up. Dug 'em up an' it was in a jar an' it was stopped up tight. An' it looked as though it had begin tuh kinda rot. See. He'd taken it out. He got a pan of warm watah an' put some lodestone in it an' a little salt. Taken dese things an' po'd 'em in dere. An' - well, ah don't know whut he done wit it. Ah know he'd taken it wit 'im whatevah it was, see. An' he didn't nevah give me anythin' tuh take, but grad'ly by degrees dis spell commence tuh weah off, until now ah'm fine.
(How long ago did that happen, did you say?)
That's been - ah imagine now - dat's been around seven or eight months. No longah, no soonah. [These are the experiences difficult to find.]
Entry 9678
Yo' take de 'simmon bark. Ah heard dat one too, if anyone wants tuh trick yo' in any way. All right, yo' take de 'simmon bark an' yo' goes on an' yo' take nine tablespoon- fuls of table salt an' put it in dere wit dis bark. Yo' boils it. Den yo' take dis stuff an' go tuh dey house at night, chew know. An' when yo' backs out from dey house, yo' let it follah yo' from de do' tuh where yo' goin' - long as it leaks out. Well, if dey try tuh do anythin' dere's nuthin tuh dat.
(You put nine spoonfuls of salt in this persimmon bark?)
Yes.
Entry 9683
They say that if a person doesn't like you, they'll draw a ring in the road right at your house and they'll sprinkle salt, soda, ashes, lime, other chemicals, sulphur. That will keep you from being an enemy against him. SPRINKLE IN IT: ASHES - LIME - SALT - SODA - SULPHUR
Entry 9684
Jis' like if your husband was goin' with someone else, [I know] of a remedy that would break that up, and that is one heaping tablespoonful of salt. You dip up this here, a tablespoonful of salt, pick it up, an' you take yuh hand an' brush it off [level the salt]. An' you pour that over there on the Papah. Then do the same with de sulphur. An' you brush that off [take a table- Spoon level-full of sulphur] an' pour it into this [salt]. Then take one pinch of saltpeter an' you put this into this [salt and sulphur]. Then you make [mix] it up real good an' start from the front door, go upstairs, you go backwards, sprinkle this. An' they say when he walks over this, it'll break 'em up.
Entry 9688
If they don't like you and want you out of the way, the way they do, they goes to the [hoodoo] drug store and they buys some steel dust and lodestone. And they put black pepper and salt in it, and they sprinkle it around your step, see. And when they sprinkle it around your step, that'll move you.
Entry 9694
Anyone take salt an' li'l' sugah an' sprinkle it rom', an' dat brings luck tuh yo'. Dat's tuh keep a job, so no man kin mow yo' doon - tuh hold a job.
Entry 9695
Git some sulphur an' some table salt - not physic salt - table salt, an' lay it in yore shoe when yo' certain... [informant is re- peating].
(They can't put anything down for you to walk over it.)
No sir, dat sulphur an' salt supposed tuh...
Entry 9702
The way now to do to git rid of folks - there's folks in your home an' you wan'a git rid of 'em. Yo' take sulphur an' salt - cooking salt yo' know - yo' mix it together an' jis' start right from your bed- room an' sprinkle it all aroun' in there, an' right on out the hall, right on out the steps, right on the steps, right on out de walk, an' jis' throw it north. An' that's supposin' to go out [make a person leave] if there's anybody they wan'a go out, they go out. An' if there's anybody you don't prefer comin' in there, they won't come in.
Entry 9705
Well, dey say yo' kin take sulphuh an' salt, an' yo' kin jes' go dere lak yo' visitin'. An' yo' kin go dere an' strew it roun' dere in dat house as yo' walkin' roun' dere. If yo' got a coat dat's got a hole in de pocket, yo' kin run yore han' down in dat pocket an' yo' have dis in a papah or somepin, dat yo' kin jes' lose a li'l' bit at de time out'a it. Yo' have yore han' [in your pocket]. [This hole-in-the pocket is fairly common and known everyvhere.] Or yo' kin walk behin' 'em, lak it somebody yo' talk wit a whole lot, an' yo' kin jes' sprinkle dat salt an' sulphuh. An' in talkin' tuh dem yo' ldn be cursin' dem in yore mind.'Son-of-a-bitch, git out!" Sompin lak dat. An' it's true dat dey will move. In de ninth mawnin' de' will move.
Entry 9707
An' den, yo' kin take- dey say if yo' take table salt an' yo' mix it wit sulphuh an' anybody - jes' lak anybody ame tuh yore house an' yo' don' want 'em dere any mo', jes' sprinkle it down behin' 'em an' sweep yo' flo' an' curse 'em, dey says dey won' come any mo'.
(How do you seep your floor - just anyway?)
Well yo' jes' sweep it right on out tuh de do' behin' 'em - if yo' havin trouble wit chure [bill] collectah or sompin lak dat. If yo' do him lak dat,
[he'll stay away].
Entry 9772
[In the margin title I have called this rite amazing because I had com- pletely forgotten about it and its future significance. The person I am inter- viewing here is J. R. Patterson, proprietor of the black hotel, Patterson Hotel, in New Orleans. Among the illustrations at end of HOODOO, volume 2, see the Patterson Hotel letterhead containing pictures of the hotel, the proprietor, and his signature on Wednesday, March 9, 1938, for rent on room No.17, including elec- tricity for my machine, and room space for my clients downstairs. I paid my rent each day before returning to my own hotel, the old St. Charles. To give Mr. Patterson some idea of my work, I suggested that he himself be interviewed. His following rite tells how he could be driven from his own hotel. Neither of us realized at the time that before a year had passed, Mr. Patterson would lose his hotel and I myself would be chased from the black hotel in Memphis by the police. For this later surprise, see Introduction to HOODOO, volume 1, page XxxIV, line 9 following.] De first thing yo' do, git chew a dime's worth of saltpetah. De nex' thing tuh do is git chew a box of cinnamon, a box of cloves. Git chew a nickel's worth of new tenpenny nails, an' den git chew one quart of gasoline. Den git chew a dime's worth of saltpetah. Go by dose person's house an' pick up, whethah it's mud, dirt or sand, take it up an' put it in de bucket wit dose nails. Po' yuh gasoline in dere an' strike a match an' light it, [let it burn] until it comes tuh be dry an' sandy. Den yo' take it an' go backwards from de do' where dey livin' at an' sprinkle it crossways dat way tuh de fo' cornahs of de world: [demonstrates by pointing] dat cornah, dis cornah, dis one, and dat one cross de street. In 24 hours de're [they are] gone. (You just sprinkle it like this [I demonstrate], like a wingy motion all around, cross that house?) [My demonstration of wingy motion must have been a fluttering or flipping motion like a bird. Informant misunderstands my word cross, meaning to put a hoodoo on the house, not throwing back and forth across the house.] No [you don't throw back and forth across the house] yo' tro' it from de house [demonstrates]. Yes, lak dis is de back, dis is de sidewalk out heah [demonstrates], sprinkle it dis way [demonstrates], cross ovah [demonstrates].
[I describe his demonstrations:]
(From the house out to the gutter, you sprinkle it back and forth, like a "v".)
[This "v" or triangle is the 3 Holy Names.]
One block each way, one block each way from de house. Lak Patterson [the speaker] whut chew [suppose you] wanted him tuh move. Well, yo'd git some dirt. See dat cigah ashes [he points to ashtray containing ashes of my cigar] an' [also] pick it from de sidewalk [get sidewalk dirt], an' git some dirt an' sprin- kle it aroun' dere - some sand. An' befo' he sweeps de banquette [= sidewalk in New Orleans] up in de mawnin', yo' jes' come aroun' dere an' brush up a little bit, jes' enough tuh git in yore fingahs an' put in dere. Den yo' come back heah dat night, yo' see, an' sprinkle from his do' crossways de banquette tuh dat cornah. Den yo' go tuh dis cornah an' go cross de street tuh de nex' cornah. Yo' go dat way an' go cross de street tuh de nex' cornah. Den yo' go ovah heah tuh garage. See. In 24 hours dey are moved.
(You have to throw it to the four corners of the world.)
Yes. [New Orleans, La., (1566, J. R. Patterson, proprietor of black hotel, Patterson Hotel), 2866:3.] [The title of this section could have been either Pins and Needles or Needles and Pins, both having tradition behind them; the first because a person is some- times said to walk on pins and needles; the second according to the folklore couplet: Needles and pins, needles and pins; when a man marries, his trouble begins. As in the case of the preceding section about nails, most rites about these objects have already appeared elsewhere in the printed text as parts of rites with other ingredients. The following rites will be listed according to number of pins and needles: 1, 2, 3, etc.1
Entry 9806
You can take a needle if you want to make a person sick and confined to bed. If you can get into their house and can cross two needles on the bottom of the mattress and push them in till they can't be seen from the outside, from the bottom of the mattress, turn the mat- tress up. Then you take three [four] needles and stick them up in the corners of the house. Get them back out of there even if you have to break them off so they can't be seen. Each corner of the house. And then you sprinkle a little salt in each corner, and you have the needle there, and as long as that person stays in that room and [with] those needles and the salt - after they sweep of course there's a few grains of that salt is going to remain in the corner - the person will just get sick and get up and down [from sick bed] and they can't get well until they remove those two needles crossed under their bed. If they can find them and remove them they'll get all right; and if they can't, they won't.
Entry 9851
I have hear'd talk of a needle - dat yuh kin break up needles. Yuh take needles, needle dat sewin' wit, about twelve needles, an' crush 'em up. Yuh know, pind [pound]'em up. An' put 'em wit peppah an' sprinkle 'em arom' a person doah. An' dey'd soon leave dere, an' dey'll take badly off sick befo' dey go.
Entry 9873
Yo'll take dat toadfrog an' yo'll dry 'im, yo' see, an' dere's two ways yo' dry dem toadfrogs. Den yo' go tuh work an' yo' let it be lak - makes a powdah outa it, yo' see, an' yo' sprinkle dat. Dat's fo' gittin' outa a home, too [making a person move]. Den, yo' kin ketch a toadfrog an' don' kill 'im, if yo' wants tuh send a person away ag'in. Ketch a toadfrog an' don' kill 'im, an' den let 'im go off an' die. Yo'll cut 'im at a place whah [where] yo' kin put dese names in dere; lak yore name or some- body yo' have wanta send 'em 'way from dere. Yo' see, yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll cut dat toadfrog, an' it's a way dat dey kin put dat papah up in dat toadfrog an' turn 'im a-loose an' let 'im go, an': jis' [the way] as he goes dem people'll go.
Entry 9891
Yo' take a toadfrog alive an' yo' sew it up. Yo' puts 'im in a sack, sew 'im in a sack 'live. An' den ah cain't git tuh yuh bed, see, but dere is a fren' woman dat kin git tuh dere dat is a pers'nal fren' of mine. Ah give huh dat, tell 'uh tuh put it in yuh bed, in yuh mattress, see. An' when she slip dat, put dat in dat mattress, yo' become restless an' dose things will come tuh be in yuh flesh, becuz ah got de frog in dere. An' ah got de needles in dere, dat make de pain come. An' den dat git chew restless on de bed. Don't care when yo' git in dat bed, yo' gotta git out an' gits dressed. An' den all ah got- ta do den, aftah ah got it in dere, ah'll come tuh yuh house; an' when ah come tuh yuh house, if ah ketch yuh back tuh me, see, ah sprin- kle yuh bed wit dese [some kind of] powdahs. Ah sprin- kle dat, else ah drop one or two drops of dat perfume on dere.
Entry 9938
Well, yo' take a frog an' if yo' wanta jes' kill somebody an' don' Vanta, yo' know, jes' kill 'em right now, yo' ketch a frog an' put it in de cook- stove an' bake him real hard. An' when he gits cool enough, yo' take de frog out an' jes' mash it intuh a powdah. An' de person [to be killed], whatevah room de person sleep in, yo' put it in each fo' cornahs. An' each time dey eat, yo' sprinkle jes' a pinch in dey food. If it's a well, hearty person, dey'll jes' git tuh de place where dey won't have a appetite, an' dey'll grad'ly [grad- ually], de appetite grad'ly will grow po'ah [poorer] yo' know, an' dey'll die - jes' pine away. If it's a sick person, why dey already sick an' it don' take den long tuh die. An' dis frog [dust], if dey eat much of it, will grow a live frog in 'em. Dey [frogs] will move all about in dey body but it will kill 'em.
Entry 9960
If a man - er a wumman - is gamblin' an' ef yo' kin slip a frog up undah de chair [of the victim] some place. Sprinkle some salt on 'is [frog] haid, put 'im in a can, shet de can up - but chew gotta sprinkle dat salt on dere fo it tuh take effect. Slip dat can undah mah seat [informant changes from third to first person] den ah'm gonna lose.
Entry 10141
Dey go down an' take a black cat an' take an' boil 'im. Take him down side of a creek an' boil 'im. Boil 'im all tuh pieces an' take his bones out an' throw 'im intuh three streams of watah. (You throw these bones into three streams of water?) Yessuh, throw 'em in intuh three streams of watah an' de third bone dat come up tuh de top, an' yo' take dat third bone. Yo' take dat bone an' carry an' take it an' have it beat up, jes' groun' up lak yo' would shavin' somepin othah. Aftah dat, yo' take peppah an' take salt, an' yo' does dat way [sprinkles] ovah it fo' ten times. Den yo' take dat an' put it in a red flannel rag. Aftah yo' take dat red flannel rag an' put it [this mixture] in dat. den yo' take it an' tote it in yore Watch pocket al] de time. If yo' decide tuh gamble, yo' take it out chure watch pocket an' put it in de pocket where yo's money's in. Dat's lucky.
(That's lucky in gambling?)
Yes.
Entry 10190
Burn candles fo' luck. You take the candle, an' put it in each of the four corners of your house an' on that you sprinkle a little of that sulphur. As ah said, sprinkle a little sulphur on it, and in a few minutes that sulphur will be burned away, but that atmos- phere is still there. You light each one of those candles and burn them, and while those candles are burning you says your prayers, an' that create luck in your house that way.
(What kind of luck do they do that for?)
Any kind of luck.
(What color candle did you say they use?)
Jest a plain white candle.
(Do you burn them at any special time?)
Twelve 'clock at night. You get more results out of those things at that time of night.
Entry 10207
Tuh make 'em [thief or casual borrower] bring it back, dat's a easy mrtah tuh be come, [that] is tuh git a blue candle, yassuh, an' write dat indi- vid'al name on dat blue candle. An' write dem a note concernin' whut dey taken Sr yuh. An' take some dragon blood, an' sprinkle dat note good wit dragon's blood, an' put de note down. An' put chew a piece of John de Conkah - sprinkle some John de Conkah powdahs [from hoodoo drugstore] on dis note wit dat dragon blood. An' light dat candle. An' light it but don' light it in de mawnin' - jes' burn it at night. See, burn it evah night six 'clock an' let it burn till ten minutes aftah six. An' whatsomevah ah've from yuh ah'll bring it back tuh yuh in less time den seven days.
(Where do you put this note and this candle?)
Put it jes' anywhere in a saucah or in a bowl, somepin othah, but chew kin put it anywheah roun' in de house, up undah de dressah or behin' de bed, jes' any- wheah jes' since it's burnin'. (I mean what do you do with this note. Do you wrap this note around the can- dle?) No suh, yuh spread de note down in yuh saucah or yore bowl whatsomevah yuh burnin' de candle in. Spread it down jes' lak it's - it has tuh be a small piece, yuh know, somepin lak dat [demonstrates size] wit dat name wrote on it. An' sprinkle it good wit dat dragon blood, an' den sprinkle it good wit dat John de Conkah powdah - wit de name wrote on it. An' de name is wrote on de candle an' jes' put it down dere, an' jes' tell me [the thief] say, "Now, ah mean fo' yuh tuh bring so-an'-so back tuh me an' ah don't mean maybe.' An' jes' cuss me an' say, "Ah mean fo' yuh tuh brint it tuh me, an' ah don't mean maybe. Hurry up an' bring it." An' light de candle an' jes' be talkin' tuh me while yo' lightin' de candle. (You put that candle on top of the note?) [This is not a leading question, informant having already said yuh spread de note down in yuh saucah.] Jes' set de candle right on top de note. An' as dat candle burn, well dat rouse up mah [thief's] mind about what ah done done, an' in less time den seven days ah be done brought whatsomevah ah stole back tuh yuh.
Entry 10208
If there's something that you don't want taken regardless of what it is, if you don't want it taken - for an instance if you take, if you lock your house they going to break in, and you don't know how to do for to keep 'em from taking your things. Well, then, first I would go and I would get me some sassafras [roots or pieces of bark]. I'd get some sassafras and I'd get me a knife and I'd trim this sassafras, see. I'd trim it and every little piece that I'd whittle off it [demonstrates].
(Every piece that comes off, what do you do with that?)
Every piece I trim off - I'm going to trim it off until I get to nine pieces, and every time I get the nine pieces, I'd count the nine pieces. I'd get them nine pieces and I'm going to put nine pieces here [demonstrates]. I cut off until I get nine more pieces and I'm going to put that there until I get four times nine. See? Well, all right. Now, I'm going to set it on the outside of my door. That's the corner of my house and that's the corner of my house. I'm going to set nine pieces there and nine pieces there, and at the back end of my house. I'm going to set nine pieces.
(You have nine pieces in each corner of the house.)
In each corner of the house, but on the outside. Under my house, if I can get under there and get to where the fire part is - the fire-hearth part is; under the house, you know.
(You what?)
Get under the house, underneath the house and get to the fire-hearth, see.
(Oh, the chimney - the fire-hearth.)
Yes, the chimney. I take and I put me a Bible there. I put that Bible there. I puts the Bible up under that house and I puts a candle there, and I leave that candle burning, see, and I leave the Bible open. But I put a piece of something in front where nobody can't learn that candle's burning there, you see, and leave it burning there. And then I come out from under that house and I locks my door, and as I'm coming out I'm sprinkling a little sugar, you see. I sprin- kle sugar as I come out, you see, until I get at least fifty feet from my house, you see. Then I won't sprinkle no more sugar and I can go and stay from three or four days and come back. Nobody will go in that house, nobody never go in there.
(What sort of a candle do you burn on that chimney?)
I'm got a ordinary white candle. (A white candle, I see.) [Here we have a quincunx, 4 corners and a double central point - Bible and candle.] [New Orleans, La., (832), 1249:2.] [If the reader is approaching this multi-volumed HOODOO archive for the first time, he or she must be told that the present beliefs and rites about sex are perely a continuation of 167 pages of similar material published in volume 3, Nos.3ll0-3830, Pp.2341-2509; material listed in logical sequence according to the Table of Contents for volumes 5, 4 and 3. The material now following could not be so conveniently arranged, though it does have a certain amount of alpha- betical order and other continuity. I am dividing this section into two parts: (1) COMPLETE RITES and (2) CONDENSED RITES, these latter sometimes a reference oaly.]
Entry 10650
Seek around until yo' find one of dose big red ants' bed jest as near de house as yo' kin find it. Take an' go dere an' mess around dis fellah's house or his table where yo' kin git holt of some of de crumbs dat was cooked fo' dat family. Take dem crumbs an' go an' sprinkle 'em in dat ants' bed. In a few days dat fellah will leave dere - take a notion tuh move if he nevah have thought of movin' - because dem little ants git tuh totin' dem crumbs in an' out de house. He'll git ready an' go tuh movin' jest like dem crumbs - like dem ants is movin' round wit de crumbs- he'll move den. Dat's whut dey tell me.
Entry 10714
Yo' take de bird nest an' yo' git cayenne peppah an' salt, an' yo' put it down where a person has tuh walk.
(What are you going to do with that salt and pepper?)
Yo' mix it with de bird nest. Destroy de bird nest an' yo' sprinkle dat salt an' peppah with it, an' sprinkle it where a person has tuh walk, dat yore enemy, an' he wouldn't harm yo' in any way. (What will that make them do?) Dat will make dem leave.
Entry 10803
You get you some cinnamon and sugar. All right. You sweep. you go to sweep, don't sweep your dirt outside, you sweep your dirt in [into] the building. And you get this cinnamon and sugar and put it in the water, amd you scrub your floor. And then when you get through scrubbing that floor, you just take - get you some oil of clover. See, you buy some oil of clover at the drug store and you put water in there [scrub bucket] and you put a bottle of beer mixed in with it. (Bottle of beer?) Bottle of beer, yes. And you takes - start at the front door and you sprinkle it all the way back into the place, and your place will be packed.
(The place will be packed?)
Yes, sir, your place will be packed with people, all through the day.
Entry 10856
Bury "blackcat ashes, " obtainable from a mail-order house in Memphis, Tenn., sprinkle where victim walks, saying "move, '' causes that person in mind to move. [All this was years ago. The label on the box did not read "Black Cat Ashes but "Ashes only - with the picture of a black cat on the box!] [Mobile, Ala., 882:2.]
Entry 10883
If yo' wuz in dis house an' ah wuz in dis house an' ah wanted tuh make yo' move. Yo' know a cat an' a dog can't git 'long, if both stay at de same place, unless dey's raised tuhgethah, an' dey enemies against each othah anyway. Well, yo' take de dog hair an' de cat hair an' put it together. Take yo' some Red Devil Lye an' cuss 'em out. Tell 'em, "Go, yo'all can't stay tuhgethah, mus' go." Call his Dame. Jes' yo' wanted tuh move 'em an' cuss dem out. Sprinkle it down where dey gotta walk at, see. Cuss 'em out.
Entry 10948
Jest like yo' havin' 'fairs in de home, go to de sto' an' git chew some cheese an' yo' grind dose cheese up. Put chew some cream flour, mix it tcgether. It kinda like a little bit, like sulphur. Jest sprinkle a little bit all ovah de bed an', yo' know, round. An' yo' nevah [have] any mo' 'fairs goin' on in yore house.
(Fussing and fighting.)
Entry 11042
(How do they handle that?)
Well, you see, it's one gut into a chicken.
(There's what?)
There's one gut into a chicken.
(Just one gut?)
One gut, that's all kin do any harm. That's a gut runs from the, from the top of his - you know, the back of his neck all the way to the rear end of it.
(The rear end, the tail end?)
That's right. (To his behind?) To his behind. (All right.) Now, yo' take that gut and you kin fix that gut and you kin dry it out and you kin - and after you dry it out, you makes a powder of it. And you use this powder into a person's eats - what I mean about eats, about sittin' dowo eatin'. You sprinkle that over 'em and you gotta act like a chicken - you just goofy. They acts like a chicken all the time.
(I see.)
Entry 11129
Dey scrape it off a black cow horn, dey say, if anybody is bothahin' yo', to mix some John de Conker wit it an' some kinda dust. Mix dat togethah. Ah fo'got whut kinda dust dey call it. Ah cain't rem- embah de name of dat dust, but anyhow yo' put dose three things togethah an' dey say put it 'roun' yore do'step an' in de cornah of yore house. Say nobody can't hurt chew. [Four corners of house and door the fifth point, rite which occurs frequently, is a type of quincunx.]
Entry 11134
Take it [manure] from a bull and yo' mix cayenne pepper and salt and saltpeter together, and carry it tuh someone's home dat you dislike. Yo' mix it all together and you put it out and let it dry. After it dries you crumble it up and powder it. Jest like someone would live here. You wouldn't want all tuh come out; jest want one person tuh leave dis place. Well, you would take it den and go and sprinkle in de yard and around de do' and call dis person's name. Dey can't stay dere. Dey'll have to move out, go some- where. Dey can't stay dere.
Entry 11136
Not a milk cow, but git de whut-dey-call-it cow.
(The bull?)
Yes. If yo' kin git dat, den yo'll take dat an' a white dog's nunbah two. Dat [these two] be made up in a powdah an' yo'll sprinkle dat anywhere yo' passes an' de people pass, an' de' cain't git a job no way. Dey cain't git a job noway. But chew put peppah an' yo' put dat salt an' anything lak dat an' yo' put dem hot things in dere. Dat'll keep 'en aigoin'
[Number two = dung.]
Entry 11181
Now they take the nails an' they drive them down into - jes' lak yo' take dat Red Seal Lye, dat has five holes in it, an' they take an' drive a nail in each hole of the lye. An' they bury this lye undah the house an' they git it near as they possibly kin ovah that lye [devil's-shoestrings] on the inside of the house. They put whut they call de devil's-shoestring, that's a little weed- as near ovah the top of that [can of lye] as they possibly kin. That's tuh make this person weak, sickly. (They put this devil's- shoestring over that and they bury that can of lye.) Bury that can of lye jis' undah de house as near as they kin. Jis' say fo' in- stance, if dis wuz his bed, they bury it undah that as near as they kin git to it undah there. They then come up an' try tuh put whut they call de devil's-shoestring - which is jis' a little weed-lak, yo' know - put it as near undah [center] de bed as they kin.
[This is surely a quincunx rite.]
Entry 11182
Yo' kin git chew some lodestone [see later], it's sompin dat's lak a incense.
(Lodestone?)
Yes. All right. Yo' take dat an' yo' take some brown sugah an' yo' take some bluein' an' Redbird Epsom Salts an' devil's-shoestring, an' yo' mix allah [all of] dat up tuhgethah, an yo' sprinkle dat aroun' de house. Dat's tuh make dem move. [There appears to be at least three types of what is called lodestone: ground particles or a lump that can be pulverized, both at- tracting iron; and a third substance that is merely an incense.]
Entry 11189
De dirt dauber.
(Sort of like a wasp or a bee?)
Yes. Well, didja evah see de little cells dat dey build?
(Yes.)
Well, now, de people down dis way - especially in dis part of de world at one tine - now ah know dis tuh be a fact. We were living in Conecuh County, Ala. We had a very disagreeable neighbor lived across de street from us, an' she rented from some white people, but we owned our property. And dis person was disagreeable. And de white people dat she liked, dey like her so well, un- til dey wouldn't have her move just tuh please someone else, you see. Well, mah mother told many different people about her. De woman was named Ada Sonworth [Stallworth] - of course I don't have to tell [her name]. Anyway, she was very disagreeable and she would argue. Well, anyway, as I started tuh tell you, dis woman was very disagreeable and it wasn't no possible chance of getting her tuh move. We wasn't going tuh move. And mah mother told an old man 'bout it. An' he was a man supposed tuh have some super-power.
(Did they have any special name for this man? Did they call him anything?)
Yes, dey called him a cunjure, as far as dat is concerned. Well, he told mah mother tuh go and get some of dis dirt dauber cells and pound dem up, and mix one cup of ground pepper and one of black pepper, and one of salt, and have us tuh go tuh her do', you see, at night when dey was 'sleep, and sprinkle it. Said tuh give it tuh us children [to sprinkle] and not her [the mother]. And when you go and sprinkle dat down at de door and walk backwards, you get tuh de gate and throw dat de way you Wanted her tuh go, and said she would leave within nine days. So mah mother didn't believe much about it but she said, well it wouldn't hurt tuh try. It would be so inexpensive until it wouldn't make any difference. So she prepared dis concotion dat we'd have heard, you see, and we did dat - mah brother. Mah brother lives here [Mobile] too, now. We tried dat when we were children and she really disappeared in de next two weeks. Dat's positive.
(How many years ago when you were a child?)
When I was a child dat was in 1915...it was in 1915, and dis little town where dis happened, was in Evergreen. Mah grandfather died in 1917. He was a man dat was very stingy. He was born a slave. "Corse ah don't have tuh tell you but our name is Dubon. Mah grand- father was owned by some French people and dey came from down New Orleans way some place and dey established up here in Conecuh County, and mah grandfather...
Entry 11190
Ah heard dey go an' git a dirt dauber nest an' some cayenne peppah an' sprinkle it undah de do'step an' turn yore back an' nevah look back, an' nevah look back, an' say "good-by." An' dat'll make 'em move an' dey cain't come back again.
Entry 11201
They will spring your doors and things. (Well, how would they do that?) They'll take that - they'll go to three people's house and you can steal you some salt from three people's house, and take that cayenne pep- per and that black pepper and dirt dauber's nest and beat it together and sprinkle your door and you'll move.
(I see. And you'll move. But you only steal the salt?)
Steal the salt.
(The other things you don't take?)
No, you just steal that from somebody's house.
(Just the salt. Those other things you take from your own house?)
Yeah.
(I see. That will make you move out?)
Yes.
Entry 11203
Take nine dirt dauber nest an' pound 'em up together. Put some salt - jes' de least salt, into de nine, which id about a teaspoonful into de nine dirt dauber nests. Then yo' put three teaspoons fulla sugah into dat. Pound it up good together. Then yo' take - after pounding that all up together - then yo' take an' anywhere that a person gotta visit, if it in a home or anywhere that they got dealin's at in dat place, yo' sprinkle it In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost an' make yore wish the way that yo' want it to work. It will work.
(What will you wish for on that?)
Well, if yo' want 'em tuh quit workin' dere or tuh leave dere, why yo' kin wish that way. An' if a person wants tuh continue working to a place, why yo' make that wish there. [Nine dirt dauber nests surely means 9 cells from one dirt dauber nest, not 9 separate nests which would be quite a large amount of dirt.]
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 11217
Yo' kin take, yo' know, if yo' an' yore husband ain't gittin' long good in yore house, yo' kin take some spice an' dirt dauber nest an' mash it up together; an' after yo' sweep, sprinkle it in each corner of de house. Every- thing will git 'long lovely. Dat's all ah know it's good fo'; yo' know, killin' anything lak dat. Wear it in yore shoe for a fuss lak dat an' sprinkle it round yore house. Dat's all ah know dat it's good fo'.
Entry 11227
Well, now, yo' kin use dirt dauber in confinement an' yo' kin use dirt dauber fo' runnin' people outa town an' around like that.
(How would you run a person out of town with dirt dauber?)
Well, yo' have tuh take - yo' know the dirt dauber nest has all that stuff inside of that clay there, inside of that clay. Well, yo' git the inside [lar- vae] an' yo' kin mix that with cemetery dirt. Mix that with the cemetery dirt an' yo' git chew a piece of brim- stone an' a piece of blue- stone, an' pound it up to a powder an' put in that. An' yo' kin sprinkle that wherevah - whoevah yo' wanta do. Yo' kin sprinkle that an' that will certainly run 'em outa town - run 'em an' they keep agoin'.
Entry 11295
Ef yo' want a person to act like a dog, cut off de end of a she dog and let it dry up and ground it into powder...
(The end of what?)
Oh her, herself, de she dog...
(Her private, cut off the end?)
Cut off a end of it an' put it up an' let it dry...
(A piece of flesh?)
Yassuh and let it dry, an' when it dry jes' sprinkle it all over 'em an' yo' have de nature of a dog... (You have the nature of a dog! How do you mean that?) Of a whelp dog - yo' howl - yo' have nature jes' lak a whelp dog.
(Makes you howl - they rub that over you some way?)
Yassuh, have to rub it ovah yo'.
Entry 11317
(What's that?)
(Bull dog manure?)
Bull dog manure. They'll take bull dog manure and wasp nest. Parch them down to a powder. It'll 'come pulverized like powder. Put them together and mix them. Come to your home where you and your wife been getting along nice and smooth Walk right in that home and talk with your old woman, just come right in the house and throw it around.
(Just sprinkle it around?)
Yes. You begin to squabble and fight and the next thing you know, why one of you is gone away from there.
(I see.) I see.)
Entry 11318
Lak de manure from a dog, why yo' take dat manure an' yo' git chew a nickel's wuth [worth] of peanuts an' git chew a box of salt. An' yo' take dose peanuts an' hull all of 'em an' mix de peanuts up an' yo' take dat whole box of salt an' put in dere an' yo' take de dog manure an' mash it all up in dere together - lak yo' got a jar with a cover on it.... Lak yo' see a dog do his business out dere, de hah'd [hard] hah'd, yo don't git dat soft. Yo' git de hah'd one, an' yo' take dat an' yo' git chew a bag of peanuts. Yo' git chew a box of salt ain't nevah been used out of. Yo' take dose peanuts an' de dog manure an' yo' have yo' somepin yo' kin beat it up in real fine tuhgethah - hammah [hammer] it up tuhgethah.
(What do you beat up, the peanut shell or the nuts?)
No, de nuts. De peanuts an' de dog manure, yo' put dat salt in dere. Yo' git chew a box of red peppah an' yo' put dat whole box of red peppah in dere. An' if yo' don't use it all, yo' take it an' po' it in de toilet: an' turn [flush] de watah on it. Well, yo' mix all of dat up tuhgethah. Well, yo' have sompin dat yo' kin.always keep it in. Yo' have dat, dat's tuh mun a person. Yo' kin take dat if anybody come in an' yo' kin use a little pile of dat. Put some quicksilvah in it an' mash all dar tuhgethah. Dat makes yo' go. Yo' gotta go.
(You take that mixture and scatter it around in there?)
Yo' cain't stay. [For peanuts and bad luck see Nos.2574, p.710, v.l, etc.]
Entry 11651
You git that brown sugar, an' you git that flaxseed, an' you git some steel dus' [3 ingredients] an' mix it up. An' jis' like I'm livin' on this - you livin' on this corner an' you bootleggin'. All right. You take an' you sprinkle it both sides of the street on each corner. The law ain't gon'a bother you.
Entry 11674
Go to the forks of a road and yo' can git dat dirt jes' as it turn off at de forks of de road, yo' kin git dat dirt an' yo' kin take it and bring it back an' sprinkle it in a person's shoes an' if dey wearing dat shoe an' yo' want 'em to go, that will keep them going.
(But you must get this dirt from the fork of the road.)
Git it from de turn, that's to make them leave. (It must be the dirt from their track?) Not from their track. Yo' go out to the forks of the road, you git dat dirt.
(Anybody's dirt or any kind of dirt.)
No, yo' git de dirt out of the road, not nobody else's track.
Entry 11677
Yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road an', when yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, yo' git a pinch of dirt from de fo'ks of dat road. Den yo' go to do - befo' yo' go tuh de fo'ks of de road, yo' go tuh de graveyard yo' know, an' git some of de graveyard dirt an' mx it tuhgethah. Den go tuh de fo'ks of de road an' git some of dat, an' mix dat tuhgethah. Den yo' have tuh season it, chew know. Yo' git dem two things an' yo' git some salt an' yo' git some peppah an' some sulphur, & an' crumble it all wit dat dirt from de fo'ks of de road. An' it will do jes' whut chew want it tuh do.
(What will you do with it?)
Yo' went dere fo' a purpose. When yo' went tuh de fo'ks of de road, yo' vants somebody probably, or yo' wanta change somebody from goin' wit somebody's else, an' yo' bring yo' dese, an' why, dat means dey'll come yore way.
(What do you do with that dirt after you mix it up? What do you do with it?)
Sprinkle it.
(Where?)
Yo' know, jes' lak ah know yo' goin' out. "Sposin' ah'm goin' from heah ovah yondah an' yo've gotta cross dat othah fellah's house, ah sprinkle it right down in yore yard an' yo' walk ovah dat. Yore mind changes, dat changes yore mind. (That changes your mind. That is if you want to bring somebody back, some- thing of that sort?) Yassuh.
Entry 11686
Yo' go out dere 'fore day in de mawnin' an' git a twig offa tree at de fo'ks of de road an' use it. Yo' kin use it fo' luck, fo' bad luck, an' dey use it with dis red flannel. Ah 'magine yo' seen red flannel. Yo' use red flan- nel. An' git chew a twig while de sap is in it, but chew cain't git it when it's dry, at de fo'ks of de road. Dat cause people tuh has spells, fallin' outa beds, agony in de haid, agony in de feet, athaletics feets an' all lak dat. (What do you do with this twig? How do they work that?) Well, yo' git chew a piece of red flannel an' git chew some turpentine an' asafetidy an' boil it all tuhgethah in 'bout, jes' say 'bout a cup of watah an strain it an' po' all dat drugs [dregs], let say yo' has drugs tuh it, an' strain it through dat red flannel. An' aftah yo've strained it through de red flannel, den yo' use only de watah, understan'. Set dis watah in a dark place in a closet an' keep dis twig in dis red flannel wrapped. Yo' kin weah dis roun' yore neck fo' luck fo' yo'self. An' de watah fo' bad luck yo' kin sprinkle around a person's do'steps tuh cause 'em tuh move. If yo' wanta sprinkle it fo' luck, if yo' Wanta sprinkle it, yo' kin sprinkle it tuh cause 'em tuh move. Yo' kin sprinkle it fo' a person dat's sick, tuh make 'em have iller health. Yo' kin sprinkle it where a person is sick, tuh make 'em have bettah health; accordin' tuh whut chew magic' but chew gotta git it from de fo'ks of de road 'fore day in de mawnin'.
Entry 11735
[Graveyard dirt will be found everywhere in these volumes, its largest concentration appearing on pages 3293-3385, volume 4. Here I begin with a few leftover longer rites and end with the more numerous short or condensed ones, these latter to show how widespread they were.] Ah've had [have used] de graveyard dust mahself. If I was in a lawsuit with yo' an' ah wanta win de lawsuit, well ah come in dere [your office] with some graveyard dust in mah pocket. An' ah sprinkle in de - in de fo' corners of de place, an' a little in de do', an' down de steps as yo' [I] go out - when ah start out - unbeknowst tuh dem [you]. It must be done un- beknowst tuh dem. Dat's de way dey supposed tuh be tuh handle dat graveyard dust.
(Where do you sprinkle this graveyard dust?)
In de office - like dey wanted tuh move yo' out of heah or put chew tuh trav- elin', yo' see. Ah'd come in heah unbeknowst tuh yo' an' throw some in dat cor- nah, sprinkle it around ovah in de othah cornah, an' ovah tuh de othah cornah [informant forgets to mention the fourth corner], git it aroun' lak yo' want it. An' if necessary dey gits some on yuh.
Entry 11744
If it's someone behind yuh, the one - you know, someone behind yuh what rid them[-selves] of other people, they will pick it [your foot track] up and mix it with graveyard dust. [Long pause.]
(All right, go ahead. What else?)
And they, they'll take that and mix it with graveyard dust, and they will take and fix it together and sprinkle it around your door, yuh see. And they will take and make - mix it with pepper, black pepper and cayenne pepper, you see. They mix all that up together and they sprinkle it around your house, and that will make for confusion with you and your neighbors, and that will cause you to have to move.
Entry 11746
Dey say 'fore dey bury him [man from whom something Was stolen] dey can fix things to make him [thief], dey can get some graveyard dirt, take and fix it, and dey kin sew [sprinkle] it down and de person what stole, why he have to bring it back 'cause he can't hold it. Yes sir. With graveyard dirt and sulphur. Dat's it, graveyard dirt and sulphur.
(Graveyard dirt and sulphur?)
And mix it together and salt.
(And what?)
And salt, table salt. Say dey kin throw it, throw it up [into air] and put it down [do both]. And dey say dey goin' bring it back, say dey can't hold it.
(That's to bring back something that was stolen?)
Dat's it. And dey ain't comin' in de house with it. Dey goin' throw it at de steps, so you kin get up de next morning and get it. Dey can't hold it, make 'em bring it back.
Entry 11754
Well, jes' lak yo' might see somepin round an- othah person's home dat yo would like tuh git holt of, vell yo'd go to de graveyard an' git some dirt an' sprinkle it on de top of dere house. Dey can't wait until yo' git to do whut chew wanta do - git whut chew'd [you would] like to get.
(If you would want to use that article.)
Dat's right.
Entry 12251
Ah ain't goin' [tell] yo' no lie. Ah'll tell yo' de truth now, but ah'm goin' tell yo' 'bout dis. Now, ah'm goin' [tell] whut ah knows an' whut ah don't know ah won't tell yo', 'c'use ah don' ca' fo' no foolishness. Well, all right. Now, ah have had people roomin' wit me. Ah have rn a roomin' house. Co'se ah haven't run one lately. Fifteen yeahs ago heah in dis coum an' people heah dat wouldn't pay me, an' ah wanted dem tuh stay, an' dey uouldn't stay 'way from mah house. Ah wanted 'em tuh stay 'way. Ah sprinkle Salt dere. Ah had tuh sprinkle salt down. An' now John de Conkah is a straight Sring, is a straight fact, it won't die. John de Conkah root will not. Yo' boils hit an' strains it through a thin white rag, an' git all dem herbs an' trash in through de rag, an' take dat tea an' sprinkle it an' sweep yore flo' wit it. Sprinkle salt behin' dere an' sweep it out, jes' anybody dat go out. Jes' have it in a bottle an' anybody dat go out, jes' sprinkle salt on de floor an' sprinkle dat root of medicine on de flo' an' sweep it out behin' 'em. Ah'll guarantee dey ain' t comin' back dere no mo'.
Entry 12443
Well, dey didn't tell me no certain 'mount, but dey jes' say yo' kin use mockin'bird eggs an' yo' kin separate a couple wit mockin'bird aigs. (How can you do that?) Yo' cook dem aigs. See, dey'll git hard. Under- stand. Cook 'em an' yo' powder dem aigs up, an' den yo' kin sprinkle dat round a person's house or inside dey house, an' dat'll separate dem. Dey always said dat mockin'birds would be - he would make his nest but he would soon tear it down. He wouldn't nevah stay. An' dat's de reason why dey could take dat an' yo' [dey] kin sprinkle it round yore house an' in de house, an' dat'll shore make a couple spearate, fuss, yo' know, have argu- ments an' all like dat.
Entry 12469
If yo's in a house an' a person wanta make yo' move, go tuh de black- smith shop an' git a mule hoof, an' put it on wit some hot watah an' boil it. Yo' takes an' put it in a bottle [cork it right tight, an' put it in] - put it in a bottle when yo's at home. Yo' walks by dey do' an' sprinkle it befo' dey do', dat watah from dat hoof, from dat mule hoof. See dat's a track an' as dat mule walkin' on, dat makes 'em [victim] go.
(You put some holes in this cork?)
Yes sir, put it in de [cork of the] bottle. Cut de mule hoof, dat round hoof where dey shoe a mule. Or a horse, eithah one, an' put it in a bottle. Take it home an' boil it. Boil it jes' tuh pieces. Boil it. It won't come tuh pieces, but when it begin tuh git hot, see. An' put it in a bottle an' cork it down an' put some holes in dere where yo' kin jes' sprinkle it lak dat, tell 'em all de time as yo' sprinkle dat watah, see, say, "Cats an' dogs can't git along, an' yo' gotta go. An' go, damn yo'. An' dat makes 'em leave, dey move. Dey gotta move, dey cain't stay dere.
Entry 12470
Yo' git some mule hoof an' burn it, cross it [make sign of cross with it] fo' yo' luck, right lak that. An' sprinkle a little salt an' a little sulphur. An' in burnin' this yo' calls fo' rich man's name. An' even to that chew ask fo' yo' luck. An' yo'll be successful in whut chew tryin' tuh do.
(If you are trying to rent something or sell something?)
Yessuh.
(If you are trying to sell liquor or anything?)
Yessuh.
(Now, I'll take up this ashes [cigar ashes in tray on interviewing table]
and you put them in the shape of a cross like that [I demonstrate]. You sprinkle them in the shape of a cross?) Yes, yo' sprinkle that, then yo' sprinkle this. Then yo' make the second cross an' sprinkle that. (But you make one cross with the mule ashes first? Then the other crosses you make with this other stuff?) Yes, yes.
Entry 12522
At six 'clock in de evening and six 'clock in de morning, you git up and yo' take a onion an' sprinkle red pepper on it. An' put it behind yore front door and you put it on a paper and sit it down and burn it. Don't let nobody come bother you or no one know you doing that.
(Well now, what will that do then?)
It bumn aad supposed to bring luck to you [in business].
Entry 12544
Dey tell me yo' git some lodestone an' git chew some sen-sen an' a red onion. An' yo' peel dis red onion an' take de hull an' drop de sen-sen down in it. [Sen-sen Was or is trade name of small lozenges to suck to sweeten breath.] An' yo' look in de east an' ask de Lord tuh move yore enemies an' bring yo' luck an' peace. An' den yo' sprinkle de sugah ovah dis same thing an' dis red onion. An' yo' walk to yore front do' an' walk back- vards to yore back do' nine times, aftah yo' fire it back. Dat will bring yo' peace an' yo' be's successful wit chure friends.
Entry 12562
(Well, nog, suppose I'm bootlegging amd I want to keep the lay aoay from the place, what would I do to keep the lay away from the place?) Well, you use this here sugar. You get this sugar, you get some of this saltpeter, and every time that you think of the law or anything, at night, you do it yourself or the one that be's in [the shop] there. You fix it up in a bottle with any kind of green leaf - you know, any kind of green leaf - but leave it be different leafs: might be willow leaf or Palm Of Christian or any kind of leaf. Just a differ- ent leaf. You take it in a bottle with this sinimond [cinnamon], sugar...
[I interrupt. Palm of Christian had to be explained!]
(Now, wait a minute! Where does this Palm of Christian grow?)
That Palm of Christian? Well, just put it in there like that, but stop... (Where does that grow? Here in Louisiana? Does it grow here?) [In New Orleans?] Yes, sir, it grows here - find it everywhere - in the country - they got some right uptown there. (It grows out in the woods - you mean that little palm - that little short palm?) It grows up about that high but with wide leaves.
(Oh! I see.)
[I did not know what it was at the time but I soon found out!] Well, you could take some of them leaves and sprinkle like that - get different leaves, just so its green. And you put it in a bottle and you take - put that sugar and cinament in the bottle like that. Every morning - that's when you thinking that the law's is [= 's & is here] coming and interfere with you, you see - coming and made a raid on your place. Every night and every morning, through the day, re- gardless of how many people are in there [your illegal liquor joint] don't say anything to nobody. Jest take your bottle [of green leaves] like you cleaning up and walk at the end of your property and jest like you'd take the broom and you shaking that bottle, you know, jest like sprinkling to keep the dust down - on back in [into] your place. Any time the law coming there, when he get to your property, he - he jest as pleased as ever. He'll come in there - probably be like this - he'll drink. He'll ask you to give him a [free] drink, a [free] cigar or somepin of the kind like that. And he'll tell you, remember that [a boss] be's over him. He'll tell, too, he'll say, "Well, you be particular, you can git what you want. I was just passing by this way. Well, you jest keep that sugar and ciniment right at your steps, wherever you comes down. And re- gardless of who comes there, he'll never do you no harm. And in prohibition time, well, the time the town went dry, I sold liquor here - I hit on [which he does, you can hear him]. Never had been caught yet. Never have been scared about no law - no prohibition or nothing of the kind... never have. [See margin title PALMA CHRISTI, No.2199, P.626, v.1, and my long comment there.]
Entry 12567
Take a dauber nest.
(Just take one dauber's nest?)
And seven peanut hulls.
(And seven peanut hulls.)
And seven pods of red pepper.
(And seven pods of red pepper.)
And parch all that together and crumble it up. And then sprinkle it around a person's door if you - like if your husband is going over there. And sprinkle it around her door, and the path, anywhere where she goes in and out at. And it will bust them up. But you have to crumble it up fine after parching it, and just sprinkle it all up and down there. See, and it bust 'em up. They will bust up - and they goes - just drift from place to place.
(This will bust them up?)
He will quit her. You use one dauber nest and seven pods.
(And seven pods.)
Oh, I should have said that that dauber nest was to be filled with a certain kind of mud, what is used to tear down. (The dauber nest is to be filled with a certain kind of mud, I see.)
Entry 12607
(If anybody is at your house, you say?) Yeah, an' yo' want 'em tuh go. Dey jis' company an' yo' don' want dere company. Yo'll mix yo' up some coffee grounds, snuff, red peppah, an' yo' be's walkin' around right where dey at, where dey gotta pass any business [and you sprinkle this] an' dey goin' go away an' dey ain't comin' back dere no mo'. Dey ain't comin' back dere to your house.
Entry 12714
Ah say yo' kin take a rabbit if a person - jes' like if it's a man or a woman, yo' kin take de lef' hin' feet [foot] of a rabbit after yo' done killed him. Yo' take dat lef' hin' feet of dat rabbit an' if yo' wear it in yore pocket or yore purse or sompin [MAY BE ONLY MENTION OF PULLING TENDON - TO IMPRESS?] like that, whoever yo' Want tuh [be] round or sompin, well yo' jes' take that if yo' keep that rabbit foot bathed in dis heah Hearts Perfume - if yo' keep it bathed in Hearts Perfume and git chew some dragons blood and sprin- kle on it, and wherevah yo' go, yo' know it's a little cord in dat rabbit's feet, yo' kin pull it an' it seem like it's alive. [Pulling tendon of rabbit foot is rare in rites.] And if yo' go round wherevah yo' go, if yo' take dat piece of root out of yo' pocket or either yore pocketbook, and if yo' jes' touch de person whoevah yo' want or sompin like dat, yo' kin get 'em. With the lef' feet of de rabbit. (Do you touch them with your hand or must you touch them with the rabbit foot?) With de rabbit foot. (And what do you do with that cord [tendon]? Yo' pull it.
(When do you pull it?)
Whenever yo' git aroun' 'em. See dat [tendon] work duh foot.
(Oh, you must pull it when you touch them, you mean?)
Yeah, see, when yo' go in yo' jes' pull it, see. That means yore workin', yo' know, de rabbit's foot - dat little piece of cord dat's in it, yo' know - little stringlike yo' could put it and: it will work. It come out of de feet chew know, piece of de flesh - whatevah it is - when yo' cut it off. Dat's de lef' hin' foot of de rabbit.
Entry 12750
Ah hear dat if a man wanted a job an' he couldn't git none no way, he go an' git one - ah ain't nevah tried it but ah hear de fact of it. Ah don't know whether yo' ever hear tell of dis rattlesnake marster root an' burn it into a powder, an' yo' take dat powder, jest lak dis is yore job heah. Well, ah come to de job an' ah sprinkle dat powder round dere. Den ah git me some of dis shame brier root, a little brier dat grows dey call de shame brier. Ah don't know whether yo' evah hear tell of it. [For shame brier and its various names, see No.2290, p.646f., v.1, and elsewhere.] An' ah'll take dat shame brier root an' den ah'll chew it, lak ah'm talkin' wid chew, [and say] "Ah wants a job, Captain." Why all de time dat me an' yo' talkin ah be chewin' dat root an' spittin'. Dey tell me if yo' do dat, why he'll do jest 'xactly whut chew tell 'im to do. He'll give yo' a job. Or if yo' wants money, yo' take dat shame brier root an' dat rattlesnake marster dust, after yo' pound dat root up, an' keep it in yore pocket whilst yo' talkin' [to boss]. Spit an' chew it an' have dat dust - throwin' dat dust out, yo' know.
Entry 12885
Now, if you bottleggin', you want trade. Now you go to your drug store. You buy you a pound of that brown sugah, you understand. You get choo a codfish ball - you know what dat codfish, big O [ole] codfish! You get that and get you a nickel's worth of pahsley [parsley]. Now, you gona take dat pahsley, codfish ball, the sugar. You take your water, about 2 quarts or quart an' a half. Fix what you want, any kind of water. An' yo' put it in a pot or bucket, or whatsomever will hold it. And put all that stuff into the water and let it boil. Let it boil down to one quart [the magic of diminishing amount]. An' use your pot every morning, like Friday's, that myst be your busy day for Saturday. Like Wednesday you wan'a take that day for cleaning up. Well, you take that water and git you someone to go out to clean up your place for you - just sprinkle that water - go to the front - come to the front like this [demon- strates], you see, an' come right on in [from the front door, leading future customers in]. Now, I don't tell you that people will spend their money there, but I'll guarantee you'll have a crowd there an' you won't have standing room. But somebody will spend money. You understand how that is? That'll square you. I do that.
Entry 12926
Tuh make de boss give yo' jobs, now. Now, if yo' wanta job an' if yo' goin' down dere. See, if de boss is mean to all de rest of de people - mean to yo' - he give everybody a job but chew. All right, well yo' git chew a lit- tle piece of saltpeter an' put into yore pocket. Well, den yo' see yo' git dis heah be 'shamed brier root, as ah tole yo', an' have dat in yore mouth an' spit down to his feets. An' den if he's very mean - if he's very hard - yo' sprinkle a little dis heah cayenne pepper cross his path like if dis he office heah. Ah sprinkle little dis cross yore office where.yo' go in to go into yore place of business an' ah have dat in mah mouth, an' ah says, "Say, Captain." Yo' know it's quite natural fo' a colored man to call a white man "Captain" or "Boss, " see. Well, "Say, Boss, listen, whut about a job dis mornin'." Den he'll look around - an be done crossed dis peppah, yo' see - he look around an' he say, "Well, old Doc, yo' don't wanna work if ah done give yo' a job." Yo' say, "Well, all right, yo try me." He say, "Well, den go on out an' see whut chew kin do." Yo' see, he done changed his mind. Yes sir, his mind is changed completely.
Entry 13239
You go to a job, you have never been dere an' yo' look, yo' don't know de man when yo' walk in dere. Yo' have a little sugah in your pocket. Let it be brown sugah [if you are a black man]. An' ast 'em, if somebody [standing about], whoevah recommend to you [tell you], who is he [the boss] - de one dis [dat] de boss. An' sprinkle dat sugah [on the ground near the boss], say, De Name of de Father, de Son an' Holy Ghost, I guar'tee you git job.
Entry 13241
Sugar and cinnamon and mix it up well together and put it in your pocket. Jes' like I'd come in here and I'd wanta see you, I'd come in and I'd have my hand in my pocket, and as I'd enter the door, I'd jes get a little in my hand and sprinkle it about. And I ask you for a job. Well, you'd be more than apt to give it to me.
Entry 13242
Ah said, if yo' an' yore husban' or yo' an' yore girl fren' is in a argument or sompin lak dat, an' yo' don' ca' tuh argue, git chew about fo' tea- spoonfulla sulphur an' a teaspoonful of sugar an' put it in a rag. See, mix it up good an' sprinkle a little bit ovah de flo' an' de arguments gone - it won't be no mo' arguments. [Sulphur kills evil, sugar is fo' peace.]
Entry 13250
I stayed at a place up north. Every morning when I kindled de fire- I gen'a'ly made de fire - they had a package of sulphur there on that stove. When it was hot, they would sprinkle de sulphur on it, to fumigate de house with sulphur. They said that kept off the evil spirits and give it luck. (Every morning?) Every morning they'd sat- urate dat stove, when ft. got hot, you know, so that sulphur Would burn, they would sprinkle some of that sulphur on the stove. Said that kept off the evil spirits and give them luck. Druv [drove] the evil spirits out of the house, which, you know yourself, that there are more evil spirits than there are good ones. We are told by the Bible that many's the soul to walks this earth, visible or invisible. What they meant visible ones is the ones that we want to get rid of, don't want to be bothered with 'em. Well, now, we'll go back to de sulphur question. When you go to dig money, you make a circle around, all de way around de place yo' goin' to dig. Now a fellah tole me this to be a fact. Ah never seen it. An' sprinkle sulphur all around it [circle], an' yo' dig inside de ring of sulphur. When de evil spirit comes up there, he can't get inside that ring over that sulphur.
Entry 13257
All yo' have tuh do is tuh git chew some sulphur an burn an' all. Yo' ketch his [policeman's] eyes whensomevah he come in an' look after him, an' let him walk across it, see. (This burnt sulpbur?) Yes sir, burnt sulpbur, an' when he come in yo be lookin' after 'in. Try tuh ketch his eyes. An' he nevah come tuh yore house no mo'. Or yo' could jes' take some - if yo' sellin' whiskey, each maslin' befo' yo' open yore do', befo' anyone come in, yo' jes' take jes' a certain aomt of it [whiskey] an' jes' throw it ovah yore do', both doors, as de customers comes in an' out, see. An' then yo' be fixed - de law will nevah bother yo'.
(You mean you throw the salt and sulphur over the door?)
No, yo' kin take some of yore whiskey.
(Oh, the whiskey. That's to keep the law away, too.)
See, when yo' burn dis sulphur, den yo' throw de whiskey ovah de head - yo' know whut ah mean, jes' throw some ovah de head of de do' up there an' dey won't nevah bother yo'.
Entry 13302
Well, even you could take, just like across the street. That's a man, he's got plenty of customers com- ing in his place. Your place is over on this side. You ain't got much customers. You don't know what's the matter. Every time you look around, you could see officers there. Well, this man over there, he hadn't oughta be there. You take some of this sinamint [cinnamon] and sugar and you take and get actual bat dust.
(Bat dust?)
Bat dust.
(Like a bat that flies around in the air.)
Yeah, that be's up in the fire-hearth [chimney]. Well, you git it and you take his heart and you burn it as a powder - down to a powder. You get any kind of fowl, duck or chicken and kill 'em. And you take that gizzard from a chicken, and you take that skin from off his gizzard, and you take it and you burn that down. You take the gill of a fish and you burns it down to ashes. You takes a piece of somepin like a bar, a piece of barring; you know, bar what you put on the bed for to keep the mosquitos [away].
(Mosquito bar?)
[I had never heard the word barring!]
Yeah, just like that curtain is there.
(Mosquito bar, something like cheesecloth.)
Yeah.
(All right.)
You take that and if you can't get over to that place, you send somebody in there with that all mixed up in there as a powder; you see, that bat-heart dust, that gizzard dust, and that fish-gill dust - with sinemint [cinnamon] and sugar. Hell, now, you take it and you send somebody over to that place. You got some com water. You get war water and he have it in his pocket - just like if you got [carrying] something to drink. You understand. And you take that fish-gill dust and for to keep the odor down, open that war water. He goes to the lava- tory - anywhere, you see - and sprinkle it down in there. And when you leave out of there, pretend just like there be something happen to his shoes, or pants leg or something of the kind like that. He got this here stuff wrapped up and he got a handkerchief in hand and he sprinkle it all the way there, back into your place. And you couldn't turn [round] for the people being in your place. And every morning, you take this stuff and from the end of your property where you at, just come back where you is and sprinkle it - sprinkle your sugar and Sprinkle you sinemint [cinnamon] and do it just after - but don't use no war uater at your place, that will make confusion at your place. You see. But that ear water going to make confusion over to the next place, then that bring the custiment [customers or custum] over at your place. (I see. Well, now do you sprinkle that stuff from his place over to your place?) Yes, just. You ain't got to put it all the way - just like you got...
(He wrapped it up in this cloth, this mosquito bar?)
Yes, just as it come through that. (You sprinkle this war water over his lavatory to cause trouble and then you sprinkle this sweet stuff all the way over to your place?) Yes, just every now and then you coming across the street, just [demonstrates].
(Shake it.)
Shake it and right into your house [place of business]. When you get to your hoase, you turn backwards and [back] into your door. That make a confusion - that war water going to make a confusion over there and that going to make peace Bne in your place. People leaving from there coming following that luck right orer in your place.
Entry 13305
I'd go to the graveyard where a sin- nerman' buried, and get me some graveyard dust and some coffee grinds and put it in a bottle with some war water. And whilst the people be asleep, I'd take the war water and sprinkle all over the front step and they couldn't be in there 12 days.
(You put all these things in that bottle, in the same bottle?)
In the same bottle.
Entry 13421
That war water, that confusion in the house. See, I would go by the house at night, understand, w'ilst they be sleepin'. Understand that? An' I would sprinkle this house. [Good heavens! don't get any of that on you, all materials in hoodoo are dangerous. See many places.] Jis' like if I sprinklin' the house I wouldn't say nothin'. [Does this mean silence is a part of the rite or informant would not tell victims he was sprinkling them!] Sprinkle the house fer 3 days. See, I come out late hours at night. Then they'll have to move.
Entry 13426
I've hearn it like this: if you had a neighbor and you couldn't get along, see. You would take and get you - if you wanted them to move, you under- stand, why you could make a quarrel between the people in the house an' that would cause the landlord to put them out, see. Well, you would use an egg. You could use salt or war water, see. (Just how Would you use these, now?) Well, now, you'd take - you'd get - use the war water which the war water would be the best. See, there's two things you use, you use either the powder or the water.
(Well, explain the war water.)
Well, you take the war water and you would sprinkle that war water. You would use salt - salt makes fuss anywhere.
(How would you use that salt there?)
You would take and you would sprinkle that salt at the four corners of the house and then you'd take this war water and as you - if you can enter into the place, jes' in the alley. You don't have to go in the house. Like if - like I enter this door here. I would walk to the back door which would be the kitchen. If I could get to the kitchen, I would start to sprinkle there.
(You say you begin at the back door?)
At the back door, yes, sir.
(I see. Then what do you do?)
I'm going to sprinkle this water, see. As I come out, I sprinkle the water, letting the water run out of my hand, as I'm coming out the door, jes' as I'm walking [demonstrates] and the water's coming out. And, when I gets to the door, I takes salt and I cross it [make a cross with it] right at the gate. And at the steps, I cross [make another cross at] the steps with salt. And under the steps I jes' take and I sprinkle war water, and I take salt and jes' throw it thataway, see. That's all you have to do, salt and that war water. It'll sort of confuse 'em. You can take salt and make a confusion any kind of way. Now, that would start a confusion in the house with the husband and wife. If it's the people you don't like, see, regardless of who they are, if it be the mother and the daughter, the mother and the son, then the people that you would want to get out, why that would start a confusion. Somebody would have to go. See.
Entry 13427
People generally use this stuff they call war water. They use the powder called war water. There is a liquid called war water. Now you take that and you form it into one [mix war water powder and war water liquid]. Then you take Epsom salts and table salt and coffee grounds. Now, you make one package of that, you see. Just like a fellah lives in that yard over there, you take that before day in the morning and you sprinkle it in the yard. In a couple of days they have a racket in the home, you under- stand.
Entry 13436
Ah've heard dat yo' kin go to a creek an' git some of a creek's watah - where [there is] a runnin' creek - an' git some of de watah an' bring it back an' sprinkle it in de yard. Jes' po' it round in de yard but in po'in' dat watah round in de yard, yo' gotta git some of dis heah John de Conkah. An' take an' boil dat watah good an' boil dat John de Conkah an' sprinkle it all round yore yard. An' dat's tuh make any man or woman move. Move them outa de house.
(Why do they use running water?)
Ah don't know. Ah always heah people talkin' an' ah have used it mahself. [Answer to my question; run you away like running water.]