Subject:Stay
Entries
Entry 5539
Well, see, if a person is stayin' 'way from home all de time, jis' come home an' eat an' tuh sleep a little while an' go right on off, doesn't have any time tuh be roun' home an' yo' wan' 'em tuh stay at home. Well, yo' ketch de track comin' home to- wards de door. An' if yo' git dat track an' yo' measure it wit a papah or eithah way [another method] yo' kin use cahton; well, if it's a piece dat dere hasn't been anything cut off of it befo'. Den when yo' write de name an' make de wishes - make yore wish yo' wanta make, an' fold it ovah, an' each fold fold it towards de house.
(You write on the cotton cloth or on the paper, and each fold you make?)
Each fold fold it towards de house an' repeat de words, "Come home an' stay at home." An' yo' fold dat an' aftah yo' fold it, yo' take a piece of new home- spun an' yo' put dis in it, an' den yo' put some salt. Yo' puts nine grains of red peppah, a pod of red peppah has nevah been any used out. Well, yo' kin put de whole nine pods or yo' kin put de nine grains, which is de seed yo' see. An' yo' put some salt an' some peppah wit dat, be sure it's de salt an' peppah whut yo' jis' bought 'specially fo' dat - an' sulphur. An' put dat down an' bury dat den. Yo' dig de top soil, yo' dig until yo' git down below de top soil, see, an yo' bury dat, an' make yore wishes. An' den de persons will stay at home.
Entry 6024
[Among the many doorstep rites in HOODOO, here is a rare one about the right and left hand sides of the steps.]
Dey tell me yo' kin take yore hair out chere [head] an' put it in a bottle wit nine needles an' nine pins, stop it up, an' bury it undah de steps an' dey 'long gone [along gone = go along, go away].
(That is to send them away?)
Dat's whut dey said. (You bury it under your own steps. And if I would get your hair and bury it under my step?) Wait a minute! An' if dey bury it on de right-han' side - on de right side of de steps, yo'll stay dere, yo'll stop down. (If you bury it on the right-hand side, you stay there. What if they bury it on the left-hand side?) Yo'll go.
Entry 7465
Yo' kin take, yo' see, lak if a man would kill a person, go to a stream an' take three eggs, jes' git yo' three eggs an' bur' 'em in de watah in somepin dat de eggs'll stay down dere 'til dey rot. Take dem eggs an' bur' 'em until dey git soaked in watah. Take three eggs while dis pusson is bein' waked - lak at a wake. An' bur' 'em. Bury dat per- son wit dem eggs in dere han's. Put de eggs in dere han's. An' when dat pusson is buried, if dem eggs bu'st in dere han's, aftah dey are buried - when dem eggs bu'st, aftah dem eggs bu'st, dat pusson dat kill dat pusson is comin' back to dat same scene at where he committed de crime.
(What did you bury those eggs in the water for?)
Yo' take dose eggs an' bur' dem in de watah, if yo' don't bur' dem, don't git a chance to bur' dem in de pusson's han's when he's bein' bur-ried, yo' kin take dose eggs an' wrap 'em in somepin an' bur' 'em in de watah. Yo' undahstan'?
(Oh! I see.)
An' bur' dem in de watah. But be sure dat de eggs dat yo' use come out of de house where's de pusson who is waked. Dat's been - dat's in dat house dat night, dat pusson who is waked in dat house. An' bury 'em undah watah, bury 'em in somepin so dey can't come up on de top of de watah. An' when dem eggs bu'st undah dat watah, dat pusson'll come back jes' de same if dose eggs were buried in de han's of dat pusson.
(How many eggs did you say you used?)
Take yo' three if yo' bury 'em in de watah. If yo' bury de pusson [use two eggs], put a egg in each han' - in each han' of de pusson.
(Well, why do you take three if you bury them in the water?)
Becuz yo' got no body - yo' buryin' two eggs wit de body. But when yo' bury de three eggs, one egg represents de body, an' de othah two eggs represent de han's of de pusson dat dey in.
(Oh! I see.)
Yo' undahstan' now? How it is?
(Yeah, I undahstan'.)
Yo' got no body in de watah.
(Any particular kind of eggs?)
Hen eggs.
(From any kind of a chicken?)
Take a black chicken. Eggs from a black chicken. Git yo' three eggs from a black chicken.
Entry 7669
Yo' kin dig about six inches in de graveyard, an' yo' git some of dat fine dirt, dat dirt about six inches down. Take dat an' put it in a cup an' yo' git some lodestone an' put in it too. An' yo' shet it up. (What do you do that for?) Dat's fo' a woman, tuh make her stay wit chew, yo' got dat dust. See, yo' gotta take it, see, put dat undah yore house an' she'd stay dere. She ain't goin' leave.
Entry 7718
When yo' wants a man tuh stay wit yuh, yo' go tuh dat graveyard an' yo' write his name in de middle of de grave - on de middle of de grave jes' write his name in de dirt. Jes' take yore fingahs yo' know an' write his name. Den yo' take de footbo'd from de foot an' put hit tuh de haid, an' take de haid- bo'd an' put it tuh de foot, chey lmo. Jes' change de footbo'ds [graveboards] roun'. An' dat'll make 'im stay home.
Entry 8514
(What are you going to do when you get the coconut?)
Whut chew goin' do wit de coconut? Yo' goin' empty de watah [milk or juice] out de coconut, dry it out good. See, don' leave no watah in dere, let it drain good. An' den put jis' a li'le steel dust an' a piece of lodestone, an' yo' orite dat name nine times. Write his name nine times. Take dat spool of thread, No.8 black, an' wrap dat comin' tuh yuh [saying] "Ah want chew tuh stay heah. Yo nst stay an' yo' gotta stay. Ah want chew heah." Yo' put dat intuh dat coconut an' yo' take a li'le stoppah an' yo' cut de stoppah off, an' shet dat up an' bury it undah de steps. See. (Is there any special way you must bury it under the steps?) No, yo'jis'.... Yo'see, yo' have tuh bury it up lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' bury it up lak dat, but de coconut is in de ground. See. Now ah did dat. (What will that do then?) Well, dat brings 'is mind, makes 'im stay dere, an' him an' her been tuhgethah evah since.
Entry 8541
Git de person an' write his name. Take de first letter capital, write dat on. Write chure name under it. Bury it at de doorstep. If dey be in dere an' if yo' want 'em out, yo' bury it this way if yo' want him out; if yo' want 'im to stay, yo' kin put it this way. When yo' bury it that way, in seven days he'll be moved if he livin' in dere; if yo' don't want him in there, he'll go. (If you want him to go, you point his name away from the door; if you want him in there, you point his name in at the door?) Yes sir.
Entry 8720
Ah tell yo' what choo do fo' yoreself fo' tuh cross a person.
(Well, how would they do that?)
Well, dey take it an' write dere names on a hot stove with this stick [lump] sulphur. But if yo' gon'a use de powdered sulphur, jis' sprinkle dat on de stove an' make yore wishes. An' if yo' don't do like dat, yo' burn it wit some asfitidee [asafetida]. Get some asfitidee an' put it in de top an' put dat sulphur in dere, an' burn it togethah an' make yore wishes. Jis' like if yo' want 'em to separate or if yo' want 'em to stay together.
Entry 8743
Dat chew kin take an' go out into de woods, if yo' want tuh keep yore girl fren', so's people say - if it seems lak she's gittin' off from yo', goin' wit anothah fellah - take some of de young boughs on dat tree an' tie yo' a knot in dat tree an' make yore wishes, an' name it. An' she goin' stay dere wid joo until dat tree's cut down, or until somebody come along an' break dat limb off de tree, so dat knot will come untied. (You take one of those limbs and tie it in a knot.)
Entry 8760
If yo' could go an' buy a new tin pan, pie pan dat nevah been used, an' yo' put dat up ovah de door piece where yo' keep John de Conkah. Yo' [have seen] John de Conkah root? (No, I've heard of it but I ' have never seen it.) Well, yo' get a piece of John de Conkah an' wrap it up in a little cloth an' yo' put de smooth part of de pan, an' yo' turn de smooth part, de in part to yo' an' outer part goes to de dō'
(The back of the pan goes to the wall?)
Yes, an' yo' put dis John de Conkah behin' dis pan an' say, "Ah wan' choo in pahtiklah [particular] to stay away from me." Yo' makes dat wish. But whethah dat works or not, ah haven't had anything to [especially to keep the law away].
Entry 9227
Yo' know whut chew do, yo' git a black hen aig. Git a black hen aig an' yo' take de black hen aig an' go tuh dat house wherevah dey livin' at. An' dat's breakin' 'em up. An' yo' take an' throw dat black-hen aig against de do' bust it, an' say, "Stay away." (You say, "Stay away." What will that do when you break the egg on the door? You say it breaks them up?) Breaks 'em up.
Entry 9392
If yo' stayin' at a place an' don't wanta go, git three aigs of a black hen an' throw 'em right ovah de house, across, tuhwards sunset. Throw 'em right ovah yore house an' yo' nevah go till yo' git ready. Dey can't put chew out do's [doors], dey won't bothtah yuh.
Entry 9417
Now, if yo' constantly come tuh mah house, an' maybe ah'm carryin' on somepin dat ah wouldn't Want chew tuh come in mah house, ah wouldn't wan' tuh be bothahed wit chew. Ah wan' tuh make yo' leave an' don' come back. Ah go an' borrah two eggs from yuh, says, "Ah jes' gotta have some aigs. Will yo' loan me two until ah gits some more? Ah'll give dem back tuh yuh tuh- morrah or such a day." If yo' go past dere house at night, at six or twelve...
[I interrupt.]
(In the morning or night?)
In de morning or night, at six or twelve. Ah dig a hole dere an' ah put de eggs down dere an' ah say, "Now dis is tuh divide yo' an' me." An' ah put an inch space between de aigs. "Ah don' want chew tuh cross ovah heah no mo'." Ah Say dat when ah put 'em down. "Now ah wan' chew tuh stay on dis side an' ah'm gon'a stay ovah here." Don' let yo' cross, yo' see.
Entry 9508
Now if yo' runnin' a gamblin' house, sellin' whiskey, got women, if yo' wanta be lucky 'bout dis thing, always keep in yo' place loose salt, ice cream salt. Git de ice cream salt, it's in big lumps. [Ice cream salt is rare in HOODOO.] Dey says yo' could swallah oneof'em[lumps], deygood fo' yo' stomic anyway. Jes' put one in yo' mouth an' swallah it an' dey says dat ev'ry once in a while jes' scattah some all round de house. It roll up lak snow [informant not a native of place where we are talking] or sweep it out. Dey says de cops or p'lice will bar'ly evah pass by; if dey do, dey speak tuh yo' an' wave dere han's. Yo' do dat fo' nine mawnin's straight an' den yo' skip nine. Dey tell me dat'll work fine. An' ah believe some people's doin' it right heah [in the city] now, 'cuz ah been heah a long time. Dey say dat's a fact.
Entry 9571
When dey come, jes' mix a little salt an' red peppah tuh- gethah, an' as dey goes yo' sprinkle it right on behin' de do'h an' sweep out - sweep behin' dem. Cuss dem' some. Say, "Go an' stay an' nevah come back." (They will never come back again.) [Charleston, S. Car., No.518, Doctor Nelson, 610:11.]
Entry 9662
Ah tole yo', when yo' want 'em tuh go [pauses].
(Yes.)
When dey makes de track, why yo' take a new broom an' sprinkle salt. Salt an' saltpetah, mix dat togethah an' sprinkle dat an' devil's snuff.
(Devil's snuff?)
Devil's snuff, yes sir.
(Where do you sprinkle that?)
Yo' sprinkle it right on behind. Jes' lak dey goin' out de do', yo' sprinkle it right on behin' dem. An' den yo' takes dis broom an' sweep it an' tell 'em - yo' make, make de wishes dat yo' want 'em tuh go an' stay [away]. Jes sweep 'im, jes' sweep 'im away. [The salt] outa box of salt dat's nevah been used out of.
(I see. Do you use salt? And what else did you say you used?)
Salt an' saltpetah an' devil's snuff.
(Devil's snuff. I see.)
Entry 9713
Git chew some salt. Sprinkle it down an' as dey go out de do' sweep it out behin' 'em. Take it [salt] tuh de back do', sprinkle it down. Dey call it de free-runnin' salt. Yo' heah 'em talk 'bout dat, de free-runnin' salt. Take dat an' sprinkle it out [of the container] chew know an' as dey go, sweep it behin' 'em. An' keep it [more salt] mdah de do'steps unbeknownst tuh 'em. [Free-running salt was an advertising device of a salt company at this period of time; it was not a hoodoo expression.] Well, yo' take yore watah dat chew make during de night, let it set two or three days, an' chunk it undah de steps. An' it won' be long 'fore dey runnin' 'gay from dere. Dey can't stay dere. Ah know dat's true.
(If you are trying to get rid of somebody in your house.)
Yes, an' yo' don' wan' 'em dere, yo' see.
Entry 9742
Yo' take nine wire nails - dey call 'em tenpenny nails - an' yo' take dem nails an' yo' put five at de front. Nail five down right in de centah of de front do'. An' yo' take de othah fo' an' yo' nail 'em right down in de fiahplace - right down in de fiahplace. An' yo' say, "Well, ah wan'a stay heah an' ah don' wanta leave - long as ah wan'a." An' evahtime de rentman come in he say, "Yo' got anythin'?" "No, ah ain't got nuthin tuhday." An' he go on by. He nevah tell yo' tuh move out de house - not argin' [argu- ing] 'bout it. Yo' stay dere till yo' git ready tuh go. See, dat's naiZin' yo' down.
Entry 9752
Say, if anybody wuz hurt chew or git chure min' confusin', an' make yo' don't know whut chew wanta do half de time, dey could take a oak stick an' put nine notches an' ninepenny nail an' put it at chure step. Use new nail. Yessuh, say dat'll shure hurt chew.
(How would they put the nails in, in the stick?)
No suh, nail it down roun' dat stick. Jes' lak if yo' put it in de centah, nail 'em all roun' dat stick. Say yo' couldn't stay tuh yore own house in no peace.
Entry 9791
Git chew two needles an' write chure name - write chure name first an' put 'er name on top of yore name. Git chew two needles an' stick it right up ovah dat do' dere [points to door of interviewing room] right up undah de [wall] papah. Put dat up undah de papah. Well, yo' stick de haid of de needles in de vall, but stick [the points of] de needles comin' in de house. Dat will bring 'er right back. She won't be a day comin' back eithah. (You stick that paper [with the names] up by putting these needles through it?) Yessuh, yo' put dem needles through dis papah yo' see ovah de do'. An' stick de point of de needles comin' in de house; not goin' out, comin' in de house.
(The needles will point into the house?)
[A portion of the wallpaper is peeled back, the paper with names dampened and pressed against the wall, and the wallpaper returned and held in place by push- ing the heads of two needles through it. There are variations of this rite else- where in HOODOO.1 Yes. Dat'll point 'er right on in heah. She ain't goin' out dere jes' as long as dat needle an' dat name up dere. She ain't goin' out.
Entry 9835
Ev'y do' dey got where yo' have tuh come in an' out, undahstan', stick nine pins up dere. [Divide 9 pins among the doors.] If yo' got three do's, put three ovah de [each] do'; an' if yo' got jis' two do's, yo' must 'vide [divide] it [the nine pins] an' put 'em ovah de two do's. (Put four over one and five over the other. What kind of nails [pins] do you put over there?) Jis' dress pins.
(Just ordinary straight pins. Do you put them in any particular way?)
No, jis' stick 'em in dere straight lak dat, lak yo' would a nail, but don' drive 'em up. (I see, just tap them in so they will stay. Tap them in a little bit so they won't fall out. That is supposed to keep that house?) Dat's whut dey tells me. (The person that wants to stay in the house and don't want to be put out will do that?) Yeah, jis' any way, yo' know [to stay in the house].
Entry 9854
You can take brand-new tacks and you see, like you coming in here. You understand? And I wants you to stay here with me. See, what I mean? See, you ain't no wife of mine but I want you to stay with me. You take them brand-new tacks and you take fifteen tacks, from nine to fifteen tacks, and every time you leave out you drive them tacks down in there. Every time you leave out, you drive them tacks down in there. Do that about four days - say three or four days. And just leave them tacks there and as long as she walk over them tacks, you'll never leave there.
(I see. You use new tacks each day?)
Use brand-new tacks each day.
(Wouldn't I see them?)
If yo' see 'em, yo' wouldn't know what they is for. You'd just see the tacks down there.
(I see.) [This is a tacking-down rite.]
Entry 9856
Dey tell me yo' git - yo' go tuh de sto' an' yo' git chew a five-cent box of tacks, bran'-new tacks. An' yo' take one-a dese tacks outa dis box an' yo' put it on de woodwork - anywhere on de woodwork of de house, an' yo' drive dem. An' yo' say, "Ah'm drivin' mahself tuh stay heah jes' as long as ah wanta stay." An' de las' three drives yo' drive, say, "Ah drive it in In de Name of de Fathah de Son an' de Holy Ghost." Yo' kin stay right dere until yo' git ready tuh leave.
(No one can move you out of that house until you are ready.)
Yo' stay right dere long as yo' wanta.
Entry 10185
Git three fo' cornered, yo' know... [probably demonstrated].
(Get three four-cornered files.)
An' git about three, an' put 'em in de third [three] ways: one lak that, an' one lak that, an' one lak that right straight. (One at each side of the house, and one in the middle?) [The files are parallel to the front and two sides of the house.l Dat's it. An' den on de back [inside] of yore house, yo' burn dis heah same stuff - candles, dese same three gold [sometimes called yellow] candles.
Entry 10857
That I worked my ownself. I take - I worked it myself.
(Oh! All right. What do you do?)
I takes nine tacks. Listen, nine tacks, and then I would take me a [dead] black cat, and I would bury that cat underneath the steps. Understand? And after I bury that cat under- neath the steps, den anybody what live in dat house, they couldn't live in there, they would have to move; but you yourself that owned the place, even if you would ogve in there, you would have to go to work and take even that cat and dig it ap [Informant with one stroke of an imaginary shovel dig up imaginary cat and throws it away.]
(Throw it away, like that?)
Throw it away.
(Well, what do you do with those nine tacks?)
The nine tacks? If anybody move in, they would move in and move out.
(Well, where do you put those nine tacks?)
You put them at the front of the door.
(How do you mean, you tack them to the door?)
Nine - you make 'em crossed, that is, five one way and four the other. That would be nine, you see. (Under the door? Under... the steps or on the side of the steps?
[There they could not be seen.]
On the sill.
(I see, where you couldn't see them?)
Yassuh. Just when they coming inside there, put them on the sill like there - on the sill, there [points].
(I see. I understand.)
And quite naturally, when their feet would step there, why they couldn't see the tacks because the reason why, their feet would hit [rest] on the tacks and they couldn't see [them]. When they look down, they wouldn't see nothing but their feet.
Entry 10875
(Well, now, how would these people make you move out? What would they do to make you move out?) Oh, that. That is very easily done. You see, you kin take - you know, two tom cats fights whenever they meets. Well, they kin git to you very easily. You git two tomcats - their manure. That [is the] frontyard there and that [is the] front porch. I will take, if I wanted to do you harm, I would take my left hand any time at night and I will probably throw it [manure] over that porch or over dat front yard where you gotta cross for to come into the porch. I will throw it thataway, see, as I'm going on up. I would walk de lenk [length] of that porch or de lenk of the front yard. I will take my hand, the left hand, and throw thataway, and don't ever look back. Well, you bound to cross it. Well you, if you stay there, you'll stay there in trouble; tormented forever and you'll be glad to get out, because them two tomcats - just like they was fight- ing all the time, that will keep you like that.
(I see, but you have to get the two tomcats.)
Yeah, the two tomcats. Well you take them two and you kin [do] enything and break up enybody - break up eny home.
Entry 10937
Take a catfish entrails, split him open while dey alive - channel cat - an' take dat entrails an' put it in a bottle, or else bury it undah yore do'steps; jes' lak yo' had a place an' wanted tuh stay dere, why yo' kin stay dere as long as yo' wanta, if yo' bury dat undah dere, wit dere name.
(The name of the landlord on it?) Den yo' kin stay at dat place as long as yo' want to.
Entry 11032
Suppose that you leave home and the woman want to bring you back home, Want you to come home. Now, what will she do? She'll take a feather out of a rooster and get a forked stick, like this [demonstrates] cut it off here, stick a feather in that, by splitting it, you know. And stick the rooster feather in it, and name that rooster feather for whatever de man is named. And stick it in de back yard, where she want him to come, just with the top of it out, and he'll come back.
[Here is the forked or "Y" stick.]
(Just the top up with the feathers on the two sticks up?)
De fork [corrects me by demonstrating]. (You put the fork down in the ground. And that handle - so the handle is split with the feather in it?) That's it.
(But you cover that up a little bit?)
You cover up de wood but leave the feathers sticking out.
(Oh, you leave the feather sticking out. I see.)
Because the feather is named him - is named for him. Leave the feather sticking out. Say, now like, "John, I want you to come home and stay here." You stick that down with the feather out, and John will come.
(John will come home.)
[While machine is turned off, informant explains and I repeat it.]
(Now, "John, go away from home." You prepare it the same way and bury it. Then they take it up? Then he'll leave home?)
[Informant repeats what I had missed.]
Now, if you want John to go from home, why you just name that same thing to John and carry it out from home and bury it and den he won't come home. (Oh, you bury it away from home! But if you want him to come, you bury it in the back yard?) Yes, sir. [A note of mine in green ink years ago reads: notice symbolism. I suppose this means: to bring back, the handle or stem of the Y stands up人; to send away it stands Y - the shooting away position for a rubber-shooter. For a similar "Y" fork rite, see in wishbone rite in No.]
Entry 11064
Dey tell me yo' gits a piece of newspapah, an' jes' lak dis yo' makes a 'V' lak dis. Keep a-makin' it lak dis, keep a-makin' it lak dis. Keep a-makin' it lak dis. Yo' make dat nine times dis way. Yo' take dat papah an' yo' stick it in front of yore steps an' put salt - covah it wit salt an' jes' pull it. Jes' pull it- dis part heah yo' turn it back dis way. Dat's fo' 'em not tuh come in, an' pull it dis way an' yo' turn dat back dis way. Bury dat undah yore step in front of yore do'way an' den come cross an' covah dat wit salt an' dat will make 'em stay out, dey say. (I want you to draw that for me to show me just how it is done. You make your mark right on that piece of paper - this is a newspaper now [let this be the piece of newspaper you mention; probably handed informant a sheet from my note- book]. What kind of mark do you make? [Informant makes a mark.l You make a mark sort of like a crescent, it goes to the right and comes back like that.) Now, dis means "stay out, don' come in." Now, if yo' want a person tuh come in dere. If a person out an' yo' want 'em tuh come in dere, yo' jes' turn it dis way [demonstrates]. Dat means 'come in.' Dis means [demonstrates] 'stay out." (Well, those half circles, crescents, when the arc of the half circle is out from the door, that means "come in.") Yo' understand dat. [I certainly did!]
Entry 11171
If yo' git a chance tuh git in dat house - de devil's-shoestring, yo' take dat devil's-shoestring an' jes' ball a little bit of it an' put it ovah de do'sill or somewhere in de house, some corner of de house. Dey ain't goin' stay in dere. An' yo' kin give a fellah a walkin' figit. (How do you give a fellow a walking figit?) Jes' take some nails an' drive 'em in de ground an' turn 'em de way he goes. Put some needles an' pins between 'em. Off he go.
(Any special number?)
Nine [new] needles [nine new pins] an' nine new nails.
(You cover those up so they don't stick him?)
Jes' drive 'em right down in de ground.
(Where he'll walk over them.)
Entry 11309
Hair from top of dog's head and from top of tail [from head to tail] put in forked stick, buried under steps, keeps him home.
Entry 11387
Yo' kin go tuh a hardware sto' an' buy yo' fo' new files an' stick 'em down to each corner of dat house an' somebody be always dere who wanta rent it. If yo' want anybody tuh stay, dat'll even make 'em stay. Dat's right.
Entry 11741
Well, jes' lak now probably dat ah wuz sellin' likker. Well, ever' time ah turn roun' an' somebody knock at de do', ah think it's a customer come in dere. Ah open de do', "Ooh! It's de law." Well, ah goes tuh mah neighbor, yo' know, sell a lotta people roun', "Ah ain't got no luck. Ever'- time ah open mah do's, it's de law comin' in. Ah don' unnerstan'.: Seem lak de law gotta pick at me. Ah want dat law quit comin' tuh mah house." "Well, "' ah declare. "May[be] it's hard luck put on yo', '' [he] says, "dey's things lak dat." Well, jes' lak dat, talk along an' talk along. Ah wuz sellin' right along, gittin' on all right, thinkin' ever'thing wuz okay. Oh, makin' mo' money, yo' know, an' jes' gittin' 'long. Fus' thing ah knows, "Knock, knock." "Who's thah?" Twarn't nuthin but de [wind?] but still it wuz a lil' strange. Goes opens de do'. Who but it is de law ag'in. Well, ah sigh to mahself, "Well, ah taken dese chances but ah don't wanta take nO mo' chances." Ah goes tuh talkin' fo' fair den. So ah got one mah best fren'. Ah call her mah best fren'. So mah best fren' says, "Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do," say, "yo' go git luck, 'cause dere's bad wishes put on yo'. Yo' gotta have luck. Dere's a bar ovah dere" [someone over there could recommend a hoodoo]. Okay. An' so ah goes an' git luck. So fo' de luck he tole me, says, "Go tuh de cemetery an' git chew a lil' graveyard dirt, an' yo' git it on de off side - cf side of de right. Yo' dig down an' yo' pay. Yo' pay him an' yo' git dis dirt. Dig a hole jes' lak dat an' let chure han' go down in it, jes' lak dat [demonstrates] an' dig yo' up jes' a lil' dirt jes' lak dat. Den yo' put three pennies down in dere where yo' got dis dirt at. An' yo' take it home an' don't look back. When yo' git dis dirt jes' take it an' come right on home an' don' look back. When yo' git home, yo' put a spoonful of sulphur in dat graveyard dirt an' yo' sprinkle jes' a lil' bit of black peppah in dere. An' den yo' jes' put dat - yo' put some right under de front steps, an' den yo' go round an' put some undah yore back steps. An' den yo' gotta speak three times tuh hit, 'Name of de Father, name of de Son an' de Holy Ghost, stay an' nevah come no mo'." Dat'll do it.
(That keeps the law away.)
Keep de law away.
Entry 11856
To make the man stay home, you takes a piece of the strand of the hair right in the mole of the head, and get you two copper cents - but let it be two women's faces.
(Two pennies that have a woman on them. All right.)
And take the strand of the hair and then put it in between the women's faces. You get a piece of string or thread [demonstrates].
(You place these two pennies face to face.)
Face to face.
(And put that hair between them. All right.)
And then you wind the thread all around it until it holds together. Then you take a bag and you put it in a little bag with your name and his name in there, wrapped up in a single. paper, and every time you take a drink, you gotta give it something to drink. [There are a number of these rites in HOODOO of- fering food or drink or both to absent person.] (Water or liquor?)
Entry 12429
Well the fact is, if yo' wan'a job, they have Mind Oil. You hear of it? Mind Oil. Well, suppose the boss's name John Henry. You sign his name to that parchment paper, put it in that Mind Oil. You will get you some paradise seed, get you some parsley. You take a bath with that. After taking bath, you must stay in that building all night, and throw the water out into the Middle of the street, see. And anything that instead of going contrary, you ill have a success with. [For "paradise seed" see margin title GUINEA SEEDS etc., P.570, v.1. Throwing bath water into street is a transference rite and remaining instead in building all night recalls ancient incubation rites.]
Entry 12541
Well, now dey say if yo' take dat red onion wit red pep- pah an' dat salt, everybody go in dere will be dissatisfied. (What will you do with that?) Take it an' mix it together an' put it in dere whilst de house is empty. Take it an' put it in every corner of de house, make no difference how many rooms it is. Yo' put it in dere, an' anybody go dere dey won't be satisfied wit dere house.
(That is crossing up the house?)
Yes.
(Do you put it in the corner in any special way?)
Put it in each corner jes' as close as yo' git it up 'side de corner of de house. Tuh uncross it.
(To uncross this, all right.)
Yo' take garlic an' dis oil of cinnamon an' red peppah an' mop wit it an' dat'll uncross 'em.
(So that you can move into the house if you want to?)
Yes.
Entry 13137
If you got a husband that runs around, [or] if a man got a woman that runs around, he can take her dirty stockings and wash the toe and the heel - not the whole stocking, wash the toe and wash the heel. In about, well, I'd say about two ounces of water - that's suffi- cient, two ounces of water. And take that water and pour it in a bottle and stop it up, and bury it underneath the steps and that party will stay home all the time.
Entry 13231
You can get that party to leave you and there is no one will touch you. Like if you go to the druggist and ask for some stay away powder. It's a powder they sell down there and they call it stay away powder, like if you don't even want any visitors at your home, you sprinkle a little bit of it around your window and around your door. Take a little bit of it in your hand and blow it on your doorknob, jes' blow on your doorknob and, if any one know you and want to see you, they won't come there.
Entry 13351
Well, dey tell me a person's chamber lye - yo' takes a person's chamber lye - do yo' mean tuh do good or do harm? (Either one. Tell one first and then the other.) Well, yo'll take a person's chamber lye an' yo' put nine needles in dat chamber lye, brand-new needles. Yo' stick one point down an' one point up, one point down, until yo' git all of 'em down in dere. Yo' take dat an' yo' put dat chamber lye - bury it somewhere where dey kin walk ovah it. Dat will do 'em harm.
(Well, just what would it do to them?)
Well - well, if yo' wanta do good, now...
(How would it harm them?)
Well, dat would harm 'em, dat would ketch 'em in dere bladdah. Dat's de way dat'll harm dem, swell dem up down in heah.
(How do they do them good, do you say, with chamber lye?)
Well, yo' take dat chamber lye, ifs yo' want a man tuh stay home, take dat chamber lye wit some salt an' some sugah an' yo' stop dat up. An' yo' put dat undah de haid of yore bed, somewheres neah yore bed, or in a dark cornah in yore room - anywhere lak dat. Dat will make him stay home an' quit runnin' an' rov- in' aroun'. Dat'll make him stay home.
Entry 3159
She have a connection wit chew, why he's brought back, from whut dey say. Well, dey tell me dat if she kin have connection wit yuh, dat she'll take de cloth dat she nuse [use] an' bring it back an' fold it tight as she kin. An' de firs' crack dat she find anywhere in de house, she'll pack it in dere. Have it good an' tight. Well, whut she didn't use in dat crack, she'd always keep it twist up an' keep it undah de haid of 'er baid, right where she had tuh lay.
(That would keep him what?)
Dat would keep 'im in wit 'er, make him stay home.
Entry 3939
Go to de sto' an' buy a piece of steak, an' take dat steak an' put it on her as a pad, jes' lak she wearin' a cloth, an' WEAR IT DERE FO' THREE DAYS [a rare length of time for this rite], an' take it an' cook it - don't hash it, jes' take it an' fry it. An' he eat. Don't care how he's been runnin' roun', he goin' stop an' commence stayin' home. But, HE WILL KILL 'ER OR SHE WILL KILL "ERSELF.
Entry 4080
Yo' could put it in a person's food.
(This chamber lye?)
Yes. Yuh could put it in de person's food, an' if yuh fuss or quarrel a lot, if yuh think he gon'a leave yuh, why it will make him humble an' make him stay wit yuh. Yuh could even stop 'im, if he wuz a man dat liked tuh go a lot an he's goin' wit othah wimmin. Why IT WOULD TAKE HIS MIN' OFFA DOSE WIMMIN an make him stay at home.
Entry 4890
Take 'em an' bur' aroun' de house. (You take these socks or stockings and bury them around the house. Why do you do that?) Well, yuh kin do dat tuh make 'em not go off - stay at home.
Entry 4899
Yuh kin take a man's stockin' an' wrop it up - be sure it's dirty - an' wrap it up close an' tie it up tight, an' put it undahneat' de steps. Dat will make him stay at home. Couldn't leave fo' nuthin.
Entry 4970
Well, ah don' know how tuh make yuh move outa de house, but ah've had experience how tuh keep yuh - keep 'em in de house or keep 'em home, eithah one.
(Keep them home.)
Keep 'em home?
(Yes. What do you do?)
Well, ah wuz told dat yuh take, if yuh kin git a man's sock, git 'is right sock an' put it in 'is lef' shoe - jis' 'is right sock an' put it in 'is lef shoe, an' let dat stay in dere ovahnight. De nex' day yuh give 'im anothah pair of socks an' jis' bury dat [right] sock. Or jis' let 'im wear a pair of socks an' den yuh take dem socks an' git 'im a new pair. Take dem socks [taken from him] an' stop 'em up in some place airtight. An' as long as dey stay airtight he'll hang aroun'. Dat will tie him by a woman [a man] dat was tried by a [another] woman. (I see. Now, if a man comes to the house and that night he stays there, she takes his left sock and puts it in his right shoe; and then she puts the other sock in the other shoe?) Dat's right.
(The next morning she gets the new pair.)
Yes. See, he lose dem socks.
(He can't find them. I understand.)
Entry 4978
A man kin take a woman's sock an' put it in de mattress, an' dey claim dat will make her stay home.
(Both of her socks, you say, or what?)
Jis' one of 'er socks - eithah one.
Entry 5002
A man take a woman's stockin' an' tote it in his pocket an' she'd always stay at home. Dat's whut ah heard.
Entry 5132
If a person gon'a leave yuh an' yuh Wan' 'em, dis is one way if yuh wan' 'em tuh saty. Why yuh jis' take his or 'er shoes an' jis' open up dat thin little piece [insole] in de shoes.
(Inside the shoes?)
Yessuh, an' put some sugah an' peppah in dat shoe, an' den turn dat little piece back. An' go undah yore house, undah yore steps, an' bury de toe of dat shoe comin' up - yuh undahstan', up intuh de house. Jis' lak dey had it on dere feet, yuh know, an' comin' in de house, bury it de same way. An' dey'll nevah leave.
(You mean that little sole [insole] inside the shoe?)
Yeah, rip dat open an' so yo' kin put dat [pepper and sugar] up in it. An' den put it back ovah dere.
(You use both shoes?)
Jis' one, de right one. [These 24 beliefs on one cylinder is about the high- est number ever recorded. This means that informant's preceding and following statements were brief and mostly things I had heard many times before.
Entry 5160
Take de centah, de sole dat's inside de shoe. Place it intuh yore shoe...it'll make him stay at home. A woman, eithah one, it don't make no diff'- rence [a woman can do the same thing with a man's insole].
Entry 5172
A lota men say if yuh gota woman an' she love tuh run about an' don' lak tuh stay home, why yuh kin take one of 'er right-han' slippahs an' bring [bend] de toe of it back tuhwards de house [let the toe point toward the house], an' put a eight-penny nail in it, drive it right through it. An' bury it undah de do'step an' dat'll make huh stay home.
Entry 5413
Take de right track an' bury it in yore fiahplace or undah de bricks. In a few days dey'll be back an' can't go away.
Entry 5419
Dey could take yore tracks an' bury it undah de steps, if dey wanted yo' tuh stay dere. Den yo' would stay. Dey'd take yore track comin', jis' lak yo's comin' in de house an' carry it back dis way [towards house]. An' den take it an' fold it an' put it undah de bottom of de steps. If dey wanted yo' tuh stay, dat chew would stay dere.
(You take both tracks?)
De right track.
Entry 7117
Yes, ah have heard of dat, too. Say, if she wanta git out - jis' lak she wanta git off. An' she take his two shoes an' tie dem tuhgethah an' hang 'em ovah 'is haid, an' put 'is two pants laigs ovah 'is haid. Dey say he wouldn't wake up. (What do you mean, tie his shoes together?) Jis' take his two shoe- strings an' tie a knot in it an' throw 'em cross de haid of de bed. Yo' takes 'is pants an' straddle dem cross de haid of de bed, an' put one laig on one side an' one on dis side; an' put one shoe on one side an' one on de othah. An' dey say dat would keep 'im asleep.
(Make him stay home while she's gone out?)
Yes. She would take an' take 'em by de laig an' hang 'em up. Jis' lak if he wuz tuh be bad about runnin' roun' an' she would take 'em an' hang 'em up on de foot of de bed an' hang de part, yo' know, dat fits on 'er, she hang dat right ovah de place where he supposed tuh sleep. An' let it hang dere fo' five or six nights an' dat would make him stay home. Ah know a lady dat do dat now.
(Well, she doesn't let them [stay] there while he's there in the day?)
See, she waits till he goes tuh bed an' den she hang's 'em up. An' dey tell me, while - whenevah she got 'em hangin' dere, he can't go no place. An' den whenevah she hang 'em dere fo' a certain numbah of nights, he don't wanta go.
Entry 13188
Take your dirty sock and bury it underneath de step, that will make you stay home. [Charleston 623:5.]
Entry 11426
Put man's own fingernails and toenails in tea to keep him home.
[Charleston, S. Car., 549:3.]
Entry 11551
"Get a piece of paper and measure their footprint and take that up in a dark place - in a dark closet, and spit 3 times at this in the dark and walk away. They claim that makes a person foolish, he won't stay no place at all."
[Fredericksburg by Ediphone.]
Entry 3224
Jes' lak dey have a man an' yo' don't want 'im tuh go out wit anybody else. Well, yo' a, yo' know, an' yo' kin take a new han'chuf an' use dat. Iron it an' fold it up - eithah a little towel - fold it up roun' an' sew it up tight as yo' kin an' stick dat in de mattress, an' he cain't go out wit nobody else. Yo' kin take an' eithah use his pocket han'chuf an' use it - iron it an' put it under yore rug an' dat will cause him tuh bring in 'is money an' stay home. (You would use this the same as you use the handkerchief you mean. You mean wipe him with that and then iron it and put it under the rug to make him bring his money home.)
Entry 4663
Well, dey take de bow out of a man's hat an' wet 'em [perfume or urine] an' wear it in dey shoe. (Either shoe, it doesn't make any difference?) Wear it in de lef' shoe. An' nevah take it out, jis' wear it till yuh lose it. An' dat will make de man stay wit yuh. [Fayetteville, N. Car., (1390), 2998.
Entry 7180
Take an' cross 'is han's across 'is breast.
(Cross his hands across his breast when he's asleep?)
Yes, sir, an' take a li'le bottle of watah. Yo' cross ovah 'im, step all ovah 'im an' he'll stay asleep fo' hours. Jis' take dat li'le bottle of watah an' set it somewhere neah de head, anywhere near his head. Dat keeps 'im asleep.
Entry 13199
Take yo' socks if yo' are away an' make yo' stay home: that's by putting a silver dime in it, an' put 3 knots, an' call your name, and bury it at de foot of your steps; jes' like you cut off a dog's tail if you want him to stay home and mind de house. [Left foot after questioning.] [Charleston 615:2.]
Entry 8387
De one dat's left, dey take dey photograph an' turn de haid down lak dat an' de feet up, an' dat would make 'em come home an' dey couldn't leave again.
Entry 1721
If a man runnin' round wit wimmin an' she want him tuh stay home, yo' go off an' git chew a bird nest. Jes' git yo' a little common thing as a bird nest an' yo' bring it on to yore home, an' yo' take dat bird nest an' yo' put it as near de center under yore house as yo' kin git it - undah de center of yore house. An' if he don't stay dere, it because dat bird nest ain't under dat house. He'll stay home.
(You don't cover it up or anything?)
No, jis' throw it undah de house - don't cover it up 'tall, jes' push it undah de house. He'll stay.
Entry 3167
Well, if she want 'im stay home, she'll have connections wit 'i, lak dat, an' she wipes 'im off wit a rag, an' take dat rag an' put it ovah de do' where he have tuh come in, where he come in de firs' night, an' he always dere. Won't go out. When he go out tuh work or sompin lak dat, he hurry right back home. Keep 'im home.
Entry 3383
Kin use a dishrag on him to stop 'im from dat.
(How would she do that?)
She'd take dat dishrag an' have intahco'se wit 'im, an' wipe him off wit dat dishrag. Take de dishrag an' put it in de mattress at home, an' he'll have to stay dere, too.
Entry 3576
She'll take a cotton string, an' she said she use dat cotton string evah time she have dealin's wit 'er husban'; an' jis' how many times, she'd tie a knot in it. An' den she wear it roun' 'er waist fo so many days, an' den she take it an' put it undah de leak of a house an' bury it dere. An' den he wouldn't run aroun', he'd stay home.
(Do you know how many days she wore that?)
She said she wore it three days.
(That kept him from running around with other women?)
Yes.
Entry 3582
When yore husban' lie down to take his rest, when he git tuh sleep good, git chew a cord string. Git chew a cord string an' take it an' measure it an' tie nine knots in it. (Measure him. Where does she measure him?) Start tuh measure him from de head down to de toe, an' put nine knots in dere, an' take it an' tie it - tie nine knots in dere an' wear it aroun' yore waist.
(What will that do?)
Evah time yo' tie it yo' call 'is name an' tell 'im tuh come back to yo'.
(What are you doing that for, tying those knots for?)
Well, dat's tuh bring him back home.
(Make him stay home?)
He'll stay home when he come back.
Entry 3876
She kin take her sickness an' her fingernails an' cook 'em in 'is food an' he'll stay with her.
Entry 3919
[HERE IS VERSION ONE OF THE RITE:]
Well, she goin' bring 'im home an' make 'im stay dere wit 'er. She'll take dat [sanitary] cloth an' take dem needles, dem nine needles an' cross 'em, take a silvah dime from 'i血m if she kin git it, an' take a piece of 'is hair outa his haid an' tie it, an' sew it all up in dat cloth togethah, an' cross it - crosses dose needles lak dat [demonstrates] - dat way. [The crossing of needles or pins in a cloth is a frequent magic act. Each needle or pin is stuck into the cloth so that it crosses over one or more needle or pin.] Well, aftah she do dat, she takes it an' puts it in 'er pocket. If it's nec- essary she wears it all de time.
Entry 4087
DAT [URINE] ONE DE GREATES' THIN'S IN DE WORLD.
(Tell me one thing you can do with it and why you do it.)
Yo' kin put a little bit in de cookin' an' control 'im - put it in de cookin'. An' yo' kin put some in yore bathwatah. Dat makes 'im stay home.
(Some of that urine - chamber lye?)
Yes. Make him stick tuh yo' an' he won't leave yo'. Mix it up yo' know.
Entry 4256
If yo' wan' 'im tuh stay at home, yo' could take yore chamber lye in a bottle an' put a pinch of sugah in it an' shake it evah mawnin' fo' nine mawn- in's an' turn it up on its haid an' set it in a cornah. Well, nobody won' bothah 'im an' he'll stay dere an' yo' cain't drive him away. Yo' do dat fo' nine mawnin's.
Entry 4612
(I didn't understand what you said at first.)
Dey take dat bow in de man's hat an' put it in a piece of new cloth, tie it round [with string], put nine knots in it [string] an' put it round yore waist. An' dey say yuh wear dat an' dat'll keep dat man dere an keep 'im from goin' off. If he gone off, yuh git somebody to git it fo' yuh an' he'll come back an' stay dere.
Entry 4613
Well, yuh take dat out of a man's hat, chew know, de little bow dat's right back of de hat heah, out of de man's hatband. Den yuh git a little hair from de mole [mold] of de head - no, yuh git three strands right out of de mole of de head. Chew wrap dat aroun' dis little bow an' git chew a piece of new cotton cord, cord string, an' yuh wrap dat aroun' an' tie nine knots in dat string. An' den yuh put undah de little flap of yuh shoe - yuh know dat inner sole, or de heel of de left shoe. An' as long as it remains in dat shoe, dat person's supposed tuh remain dere.
(That's all for love.)
Entry 4618
Yuh kin take de little bow out of 'is hat an' wrap it up in dis real, whut chew call Love Me Powdah, an' take de love vine. Dere's a love vine. Yuh pass by it, it grows in de woods. An' yuh kin take dat love vine an' take it an' wrap it roun' de bow of de man hat, an' tote it in yore Love Me Powdah box. An' dat'll make a man stay home or eithah make a man love yuh or anything lak dat.
Entry 4675
Take de bow out 'is hat an' dat insole of yore shoe, an' put dat bow right up undah dere. Take a pinch of sulphur an' put it down in dere. Ah guar- antee yuh dat boy goin' stay right by yuh cuz ah've tried dat mahself. (Just put this bow in your shoe. Eith- er shoe?) Yessuh, eithah shoe.
(And put a little sulphur with it. Put it up under that inner sole?)
Yessuh.
Entry 4775
Jis' lak a lady want chew tuh love her. She wash yore clothes an' things, yuh see, an' when she iron yore shirt tuh de tail yuh know, don't pull de iron up, jis' push it down de length of it an' push it back. (Iron it down toward the tail?) Yes, iron it down toward de tail but don't pull de iron. Evah time yuh push it down, lift it up an' ketch aholt an' push it down lak dat. Don't nevah pull it up yuh see. Dat'll make a man go crazy about a woman an' make him stay home.
Entry 4778
Take an' cut off de end of 'is shirttail an' tie it in nine knots an' put it right in de house. Take jis' a little bit of 'er chamber lye an' cook it in some bread. An' he'll nevah go nowhere. [We have here two separate rites used as one for good measure.]
Entry 4839
Take a scissors an' cut a piece of a man's undahshirt, undah heah, undah 'is arm, eithah arm, an' cut a small piece out of de crutch [crotch] of 'is drawahs an' pin dat tuhgethah an' lay it undah de haid of yer mattress. An' if he's a man dat run out an' don' lak tuh stay at home wit 'is wife, he'll begin tuh start tuh stayin' home evah night an she cain't make him go lessen [unless] she go wit 'i. [New Orleans, La., (1566) 2870.
Entry 4842
Jis' lak a man go out, yuh see, an' yuh cain't make him stay at home. Well, yuh take his undahsuit an' yuh scrape dat cotton lak dat - yuh see, dat lint. Take dat lint where yuh kin scrape it, see, an' put it in a little bag an' some sugah, an' wear it on de side an' dat'll make 'em stay at home. Wear it on de side nex tuh yore skin, jis' eithah side - ary one. Dat'll make him stay at home an' give yuh 'is money. "
Entry 4897
If a man leave dey home, why dey kin take dat same stockin' [sock] an bury it undah de steps an' put some of 'er garment any way cross dose. Bury it undah de step an' dat man will be satisfied tuh stay home. (Put some of her garments with that stocking [sock].) Dat's right.
Entry 4904
Say dey use a man's stockin', sock, an' cut it up fine an' bury it undah yore do'step. If he's 'is wife's las' husban', he can't quit 'er.
Entry 4905
(Now, what do you do with the sock?)
Yuh take de sock an' bury de sock toe comin' tuh do', de do' dat chew wan' dat person tuh come dere an' stay dere. Why jis' bury dat sock in de groun' wit de foot tuh de do', comin' tuh de step-lak, yuh know, an' dat person will stay dere. Yuh won' have any trouble wit 'em. (Which sock do you use, both of them or just one of the socks?) Ary one of 'em will do, but de right-foot one de bes'.
Entry 4914
Wit de man sock, well yuh take de sand from undahneat' de steps an' fill up dat stockin', de sock, like he have it on, an' dig a hole an' put it in dat hole comin' toward de house, an' he's gotta stay dere, or either take de bow out his hat. (Wait a minute, now! Wait a minute! How do you put that sock down in that hole?) Jis' stand it up jis' like it be yore feet in dere.
(And that's pointing away from the house?)
[This misdirection question I rarely used.]
No, comin' tuh de house.
(You point it toward the house, jis' as you did with the shoe?)
[The shoe was given in a preceding rite.]
Yes sir.
Entry 4915
An' den dey take an ole sock an' dey could put salt in it an' bury it down dere undah yore do' an' yore man'll stay right dere.
(Do you bury just one sock or both?)
Dat left sock, one sock.
Entry 4916
Yuh wanta break it up, yuh git 'is socks an' put chew a little salt an' cook- in' soda, see, in it an' bury dat at 'is step. Dat will bring 'im back home, if he's gone off. Dat will bring 'im right back home an' he stay home, too. (Both socks did you say?) No, one - one, eithah one, right or lef', jis' since yuh git one.
Entry 4939
[An informant in the same cityadds a time detail.1 Ah've heard 'em say dat she could take de man's socks an' take a brick up out de fiahplace an' bury it an' make yore watah on it fo' nine mawnin's. Ah've heard dat.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Well, dat's in a love affair, too. Yuh take an' put dat sock down, an' den go dere evah mawnin' befo' de sun rise an' make watah on it fo' nine mawnin's, an' dat will make him stick closah tuh yuh. Fayetteville, N. Car., (1411), 2535:1.]
Entry 4955
Take de man dirty socks, or de woman's dirty socks, an' makes 'em tuh stay home if dey have de habit of runnin' out. Takin' sugah, cinnamon, a snail, an' puttin' it in dat socks, an' tyin' three knots in de socks, an' puttin' it in a closed place, where he won' find it. An' if he's a man accustom tuh spendin' 'is money 'fore he come home, finally, in a couple of days he'll start tuh stayin' home an' he don' know anythin' about it.
Entry 4972
If he is away from yuh, if yuh wan' 'im tuh stay wit yuh, yuh take it an' yuh git cheh some steel dust - dat's drawin' - an' lodestone, dat's drawin'. Yuh put it in 'is sock. Yuh take dat sock jis' lak dat goin' in. (Going into the house.) Intuh de house. Yuh put it down in de groun' an' yuh bury it wit de feet goin' in. He cain't stay away from dat house.
(I see. You take the left.)
[Left is nowhere mentioned. Informant may be repeating story and assumes I know which sock; or after story completed I may have turned off machine and then asked left or right before restarting machine in time to catch the answer.]
Entry 5009
Dey could take a sock, a man's sock, an' tie it to or put it on a box- car. An' as long as dis boxcar wuz travelin', an' dis sock wuz on dere, dis man couldn't stay in one place. He would contin'ly go from place tuh place.
Entry 5014
Ah heard dat yuh take de socks now, an' yuh take it an' roll it towards yuh. Take it an' start it from de toes an' roll it back, jis' as tight as yuh kin roll it. An' den when yuh git 'em rolled back, yuh take a needle an' thread an' hook it ovah tuhwards yuh. Don' nevah hook it from yuh. Dat's whut dat lady tole me. Say yuh hook it tuhwards yuh evah time. Take dat sock den an' bury it right undah yore do'step, an' say dat man'll always stay dere - or a woman, whoevah it is.
Entry 5020
They say you can take a man's sock or a woman's stocking and carry it with yeh and make them do what chew want 'em to do. Just make yore wishes with it. And put sulphur and salt in there. and they say nc one else, whatever the're doing [to counteract your in- tentions] can't do anything with it no more than you. See? Just like if you'd bury it out here in this yard and someone come and sprin- kle something on it, they say that wouldn't be any good. And you take this sock and wear it. And if you want him to stay home, if it's a man you want him to stay home and don't want him to go, why then you bury it. Bury it in the yard some place where you walk over it oftener than he does. And that keeps him home.
Entry 5060
Gits yore sock an' dey bury it undah yore do'step. If dey wants yuh tuh stay home, wit de foot yuh know tuhwards de house. Now if dey wanted yuh tuh leave, dey bury hit undah yore do'- step wit de foot goin' away. An' evah mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's dey po' chamber lye on it.
Entry 5066
Take a man's sock or eithah a woman's sock an' wash it. Jis' take it an' put it in boilin' watah an' boil it. Wash it out an' take dat boilin' watah an' airtight it, an' put it undah de do'step an' dey'll nevah leave yuh.
(You take this water from the dirty socks?)
Yessuh, de dirty watah, an' he'll nevah leave yuh.
Entry 5093
Yuh burn dem ole shoes an' git de ashes, an' yuh buries dat, if yuh know any cleahin' [clearing] lak on some concrete or somewhere, yuh know, eithah in de stove. [If you do not have a stove, look for cleared concrete like a sidewalk.1 Clean out all de ashes an' sweep it out. Yuh kin burn it in dere an' git all dem ashes of it, an' put 'em in a little bag an' sew it up. An' put it in some Jockey Club, Hearts Own Perfume in it, an' bury hit undah de do'steps. Dat'll make him stay at home.
Entry 5131
Take dat shoe an' yuh dress it. Yuh kin put a little perfume or jis any kinda little powder or anythin' in dat shoe. An' yuh take dat shoe an' yuh dress it, an' den yuh take dat shoe an' carry it out in de woods an' bury dat shoe. If yuh don' do dat, bury it right undah de do'steps where she'll walk ovah it. Bury dat shoe. Make 'em stay at home.
Entry 5136
In de bottom of dey shoes, yuh kin take dat little cloth dat be dere in de bottom an' drive 'em away or kill 'em off. (How would they drive them away, first?) [Drive him away first, then kill him.] Well, tuh drive 'em away, yuh take it an' bury it. If yuh wanta make 'em stay home, why yuh kin take dat an' wrop it up an' put it in de crack anywhere in de side of de wall in de house.
Entry 5278
Aw dey kin take yo' shoes if dey wan' chew tuh stay home. Take yo' lef'-footed shoes an' turn it upside down. Dat's tuh make a man stay home an' make a woman stay. home.
(Where do they put that shoe then?)
In de left cornah of yore house, upside down, de lef' shoe. She got'a have more den one pair of shoes.
Entry 5374
Tuh git yore foot track, why yo' jis' take dat dirt outa de bottom of it an' put it intuh a bottle or somepin an' bury it. Dat foot track, or eithah put it in a cornah in de house some place. An' dat'll make yo' stay dere.
(Do you get both foot tracks or just one of them?)
Jis' one, de right one.
Entry 5386
Dey tell me dey kin take yore footprint, de dirt from de palm of yore foot, an' put it ovah de do' an' compel yo' tuh stay. [The hollah [hollow] of the foot is occasionaly called the palm of the foot.]
(Do they take either foot or both?)
De left foot.
Entry 5388
Now, dis is whut ah heard from nobody now - fo' mahself, see. Dat yo kin take a man's right foot of 'is stockin', [I mean] socks. Yo' kin go out an pick up 'is track, see. An' take dat an' put it intuh 'is sock, if yo' want dis man, see. An' bring it back an' put it ovah yore front do' or ovah yore kitchen do', an' let it remain dere, see. An' as long as dat stay, he will stay dere.
(What if you want to make that man leave, what do you do?)
Well, ah don' know about makin' 'im leave. Ah guess if yo' wan'a make him leave, why yo' jes' turn 'im loose. Take de stuff off whut chew have up dere. (You take his right foot sock and his track. Which track did you take did you say?) Well, it make no mattah which track. Yo' jes' pick up evah one [any one] of 'is track.
Entry 5534
If a man have a woman dat's run away from home, she won' stay home an' won' be satisfied, she wanta do jis' as [she pleases] - de fellah don' wan' 'ah [her] tuh move away from dere. Take a cord string, cotton cord string, put de end of 'ah heel an' de end of 'ah toe, an' git 'ah measure- ment. An' put it roun' a nail an' drive it right ovah in front of de do'. An' den he wanta read de 90th Psalms of David.
(What will that do?)
She'll stay home.
Entry 5680
Well, if yo' want 'im tuh stay home, evah time he starts out, evah tine he leaves yore house, yo' jis' walk right straight on out while his tracks hot. An'.sweep 'em back right undahneat' de steps, say, "Come back heah." Yo' ain't gotta put nuthin behin' dat, says, "Yo come on back heah. Ah'm yore wife. Come on back heah." An' yo' sweep 'is tracks right undah dat steps. An' evah time yo' go out, yo' do dat an' he'll Qe back an' be so nice.
Entry 5853
If yo' have a wife dat won't stay at home, always ready tuh run off. Well, now, if yo' kin cut de hair off a dog's tail an' git chew some hair outa her haid, an' put dat hair togethah an' wrap it up in a flannel rag, an' yo' bury dat at de do'step, an' dey all of 'em stay dere. Dey won't leave.
Entry 5887
Yo' kin take a pinch of dere hair, out chure hair, an' den some undah yore arms, an' burn it up to a ashes. Yo' kin take it an' sprinkle it in dey food, or else yo' kin take it an' sprinkle it in dey plate, an' dat'll make 'em stay wit yo'. Jis' burn all dat hair togethah. [Memphis, Tenn., 1542:6.]
Entry 5955
[Informant speaks about intention, a word rarely used in hoodoo though its presence is everywhere; it being the power behind potive, ritual and desired result. As informant says, the present rite wouldwork eithah way, depending upon intention. Many rites work either Way - see preceding HORSEHAIR. Dey says dat dey could give good luck by taking yore hair an' mixin' it up wit othah ingredients.
(Do you know what the other ingredients are?)
Well, such as salt an' pepper an' common things of dat kind. An' put it into a little bag an' bury it undah de doorstep, an' if dere's no steps to de house, hy close roun' de house, where de person would step ovah dat in an' out of de bouse. An' dey claim dat would eithah - it would work eithah way. It would Sork so as to keep de people livin' in dat house or to move 'em out, whichevah gay dat de intentions were fer it to go. (Well suppose you intended them to stay in, would you have to do anything ex- cra? Say anything or do anything? How would you express your intention?) Well, yo'd express yore intention in dis way, in de same mannah. If yore intention wuz to keep dem in de house, why yo' would do jes' de same, use de sue ingredientses an'.... (You would form your opinion. That determined whether they were to stay or to go.) To stay or to go.
Entry 6167
If a man leaves a woman an' she want 'im back, she git two stran's of 'is hair, an' aftah she git dose two stran's of 'is hair, she takes some sugah an' den some sulphur an' mix it togethah. An' put 'is hair in dis sugah an' dis sul- phur an' bury it up undah de bottom of 'er do'steps. An' she'll keep 'im all de time. He won't nevah leave her no mo'.
Entry 6379
Dey say a woman, eithah a man, if dey want dey husban' or dey wife tuh stay home. Yo' take yuh fingahnails - trim yuh fingahnails, trim de toenails an' wash undahneath each one of yore arns an' if dey drink likkah, put it in likkah an' let it set fer three days. Don' let 'em see it. Jis' conceal it somewhere. An' dey say dey would nevah leave, jis' hang right aroun' dere - stay home.
Entry 6391
De bottom of de feet, dat didn't happen tuh me once, but.it happen by dem people though. Yo' take de bottom of yore feet an' yo' take yore toenails an' yore fingahnails off. Yo' trims 'em yo' know wit de scissors. An' yo' takes dat an' yo' burys dat, see. An' when dey burys dat, dat keeps yo': aroun' home - keeps yo' from goin' away. An' dat makes de woman keeps yo' all de time undah huh control.
(I see, I see.)
Entry 4933
Now, if you leave your own home an' you got a par [pair] of dirty socks, but dey's got tuh be a par of yore dirty socks dat dey ain't been wash. Put [in these socks] red peppah, grave- yard dirt, an' six needles. An' yuh turn de needle points, when yuh bury it, to- wards de house, right towards yore do'. Bury it in yore yard or eithah in yore back yard, but let de points be [pointing towards] de do'. Aftah dose socks o' 'hisen is buried, yuh go out dere fuh five mawnin's, straight mawnin's, take yer dirt offa dis sock, turn yore back tuh de house [an' pick upl jis' [as] much as yuh kin throw, an throw it across yore right shouldah tuh de house. Wharevah he is, if he's way way from home, if he evah go on a train or anything, he'll come back - he'll come back home. An' he'll stay dere as long as yuh handle dose dirty socks.
predicted single absent man’s return and staying, with sock ownership unresolved. No husband inferred claimed continued residence conditional on handling the dirty socks. Keep the condition as long as yuh handle dose dirty socks; no permanent retention or observed success. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 6956
If someone wuz tryin' tuh move yo' outa de house an' yo' wanted tuh stay dere, yo' would git chew some sulphuh an' go roun' [circumambulate] de house. An' each cornah of de house - yo' wouldn't have tuh tell 'em, yo' wouldn't let nobody know about dis - yo' would ies sprinkle a li'le sulphur in each cornah. An' yo' would jes' rake back jes' enough dirt - if yo' put it right smart - tuh keep anybody from noticin' it. All de way roun' de house. An' de person who wuz tryin' tuh - who wuz comin' in tuh move yo' out of dis house or have yo' move, why dey couldn't come in. An' yo' would stay dere an' dey couldn't put chew out.
Entry 7220
An' a girl, she wuz wantin' tuh leave. She wuz goin' tuh leave me lak on a Friday evenin' an' ah wuz lovin' 'er real hard an' ah didn't wan' 'er tuh go. She wuz goin' tuh leave me an' ah didn't Wan' 'er tuh go. So ah goes tuh a man [doctor] an' he tells me tuh go ahead an' go tuh a grave- yard befo' dat dat mawnin' an' git some dirt from undah - from off a man's breast, right off 'is heart, an' put it in a piece of flannel cloth; an' go tuh a grave where a woman hadn't been long died an' git some dirt offa her heart. An' den take it [both dirts] an' sew it up in a piece of red flannel cloth an' tote it on me. Tie it on mah lef' side, an' he guarantee dat she wouldn't leave. An ah did dat an' she didn't go nowhere. Yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' go tuh a stream of runnin' watah an' turn yore back an' throw it upstream, crost yore lef' shouldah, an' if dey wanted tuh go some place dey couldn't go. (Well, wouldn't you do something else, use someone's hair or something of that sort?)
[Informant ignores my leading question.]
Dat if ah wuz in love wit somebody an' she wuz fixin' tuh leave, an' prob'ly ah would heah dat, an' couldn't git 'er not tuh leave, an' ah could git some graveyard dirt an' go tuh any stream of runnin' watah, an' turn mah back an' throw it behin' me upstream. An' she wouldn't wanta leave, she can't go.
(You don't say anything while you are doing it?)
[Again my leading question is ignored.]
No suh, not anything at all. Jis' go by yo'self an' throw it crost yore left shouldah, an' she'll stay dere. [The intention of the rite is sufficient here.]
Entry 7741
Take some salt and black peppah an' go tuh de graveyard an' git some dirt an' cross it wit dat dirt. If anyone move dere, dey cain't stay. Yo' bury it in a li'le box [coffin symbol] dere, an' if anyone move dere, dey cain't stay. (That is, you cross this house up after you leave it so that the next person can't live there?)
[This is done if you have a grudge against the landlord or person moving in.]
Yes, dey cain't live dere.
Entry 7807
Graveyard dirt, dat's when yo' wanta run a person from any place. Jis' lak now, if a person stayin' in dis house [in which I was interviewing] an' yo' Want dis house an' yo' come in here. All yo' gotta do when yo' come, yo' walks aroun', aroun' dis place [demon- strates]: put some in dis place, put some in dis one, put some in dat one, an' put some in dat one.
(You put it in all four corners of the house.)
De fo' cornahs of de house. Don' keer who yo' is, dey couldn't stay in dere fer soul or life.
Entry 7904
Yo' take graveyard dirt an' put in one of 'is sock, de right sock, see. He be runnin' out [away from home] an' see, if yo' throw dat ovah de house - lak ah were de woman, dat ah an' mah husband live in [the house] see. In othah words, when he came back in de house. ovah mah, where hit [the sock] tetch de ground at. he wouldn't wanta go back out dere [away from me]. When he come in he be crazy about de house an' don' wanta go anywhere, wanta stay home most of de time.
Entry 7926
Ah heard dat if yo' wanted a sweetheart, lak yore husban' or anythin' - if yo' love him an' yo' want him tuh stay wit yo' - yo' takes de graveyard dirt an' yo' wears it, jes' git chew a li'le bit in a bag. Ah seed [= seen = saw] a lady one time wearin' some of it. An' yo' wears it in a bag an' that will make the man wanta stay wit yo'.
Entry 8485
Well, dey says dat dey kin git chure blood an' write chure name, an' evah whut dey wanta do tuh yuh, write dat wit yore blood. Say, if dey want chew tuh go crazy, say yo'll go crazy; an' if dey want chew tuh leave town, yo'll leave town. If dey want chew tuh stay right dere wit dem - evah whut dey want chew tuh do, why dey write dat aftah dey write chure name an' yo'll stay right dere; but chew gotta take dat, aftah yo' write it, an' put it in a secret place where cain't nobody put dere hands on it but chew.
Entry 9518
[New Orleans was the scrubbingest place of them all, special prepara- tions often being called a scrub.] She take some salt watah an' evah mawnin' befo' day - it wouldn't be quite light yo' know - she'd take dat watah an' scrub de whole place an' scrub 'er room. An' when he'd come she'd rest his hat, lak anyone would do yo' know. An' she'd have a soft damp rag wit de same solution, an' when he'd be readin' or othahwise lak dat, she'd dampen his hat, jes' take it lak dis [demonstrates] an' dampen it.
(Just dampen the hat with the rag. What is that supposed to do then?)
Keep him dere, yes. [To keep him from being taken away would have been a better answer.]
Entry 10262
Ah heard dey said yo' could take yo' discharge an' put it in a rag an' put it where no air kin git to it, an' put it in yore pillah, an' he cain't do nuthin off nowheres else, an' he'll have tuh stay home.
Entry 9595
All she gotta do is tuh go tuh work an' take some cookin' salt an' some red peppah an' some bluestone an' beat it all up tuh- gethah. An' den she ain't got a thing tuh do but jes' pass by de gate where de lady lives an' jes' throw it three times ovah de gate where yo' bound tuh cross it, chew know, comin' in an' out. Yo' won't go dere any more. Dat breaks up de home.
(That breaks up the man and this other woman?)
Yes, an' he'll come back tuh 'is wife. An' stay.
Entry 9719
And dey wanted tuh, dey could take a big nail an' carry it tuh a oak Tree on de [property] line of dis man's land, yuh undahstan', an' drive dis nail in dere an' make a wish when he'd drive it in dere. An' he.could stay down dere an' do as hdchase as long as he wants. De man voeld never put 'im away - put him off [the land]. (Off, I see. If some man is on a piece of ground - land out here - and he wnts to stay and he doesn't want to be put off, he will go to this oak tree. Ad where would this oak tree be?) Neah de line, de [boundary] line of de land.
(Oh, it must be near the line?)
His land an' somebody else's, yo' know. Yo' see, gen'ly [generally] dere's a line of trees out on dere [property line of farm]. Yo' know, there is de line of orees somewhere neah it. An' drive it in a oak tree, yo' see. Blow 'is breath on it three times an' make a wish [also 3 magic actions: drive, wish, breathe].
(What will that do for him then?)
Hell, he kin stay dere long as he choose.
(He just stays there as long as he wants to?)
Yeah, an' he don't pay no rent.
Entry 9723
If a landlord wanted tuh make yuh move out a house, yo' kin git chew two nails, bran'-new nails yuh see, an' yuh cross 'em right ovah de sill of de do' an' he cain't git chew outa dat house. Well, whensomevah yo' wants tuh cross yore house tuh keep anybody from stayin' in dere, why jes' as yo' use de nails fo' yuh tuh stay dere, yo' kin use dose nails fo' dose people so dat dey cain't stay dere. Dey have tuh cross de same nails.
(That will also keep the people from moving into the house?)
Yessuh, 'long as it crossed.
Entry 9724
Take two tenpenny nails an' nail 'em down an' cross 'em lak dat [dem- onstrates: nails crossed like an "x"]. Nobody will stay in dere.
(Where do you nail them?)
Right ovah de do' [doorsill]. Crosses up de house. (No one can rent it or stay in there.)
Entry 9727
Whenevah yo' be rid [writ?] out, dey done be rid yo' out - yo' know, outdo's an' yo' gotta move. Dey done rid yo' out, yo' know - de officah rids yo' out an' yo' gotta move. [Evidently your few posses- sions are on the sidewalk out in the street.] Yo' cake three nails an' yo' go tuh de do' lak dat an' nail 'em down [demonstrates] right in de middle of de do'.
(Right underneath the saddle that goes across the door.)
Yes, an' nail 'em down in dere an' call De Name of de Fathah an' de Son, an' yo' kin stay dere. Dey'll come an' lengthen yore days an' let chew stay on dere. Yo' won't have tuh move. Ah know dat fo' a fac' 'cuz ah did dat mahself. (You put them right down [I demonstrate] where that board goes over - over that saddle of the door.) Yes. [In that first line is there a play on the words writ and rid [get rid of you] both pronounced alike here.]
Entry 9785
She kin take two needles an' break it half in two - make foah pieces - an' stick it anywheres in his coat w'ure he cain't see 'em, an' dat'll make him stay wit her. He can't leave huh.
Entry 10824
If someone in yore house an' yo' wants 'em tuh leave or eithah stay, yo' lay dat broom down in de flo' an' let dem walk ovah dat broom an' if yo' want 'em tuh leave, yo' take it tuh de no'th side of yore room an' set it up wit de sweepin' part down, an' dey'll jis' leave all de way round. Dey won't come round dere any mo'. An' jis' lak if yo' want 'em tuh stay, well, yo' know, tuh come roun' yo' very often, yo' Set it up wit de sweepin' part up, an' dey'll often come tuh look aroun', yo' o, at chure house; come an' see yo' [if] anything dey kin do fo' yo', dey'll do dat.
(This is on the north side of the house?)
Yeah, it must be on de no'th side of de house.
Entry 10829
Ah heard dat chew take nine straws an' lay it up ovah yore husban's haid to make him, yo' know, stay home. (Nine straws of what?) Of a broom. Lay 'em up ovah de do' so dat he could walk in an' out undah 'em. Says, now yo' keep 'em dere so he'll stay home.
Entry 11031
Yo' kin take black chicken feathers an' take nine of 'em an', yo' know, tie de ends of 'em together an' hang 'em up ovah anybody's haid. An' every time dey walk in dere, dey'll feel funny an' dey won't even stay dere no mo'. (You take these nine feathers from a black chicken and tie them together like a necklace?) Yes sir, tie 'em together an' hang 'em up ovah anybody's haid where dey gotta pass at.
Entry 11071
Dey say if a man's runnin' round - jest lak ah'm got a husband an mah husband would be runnin' with a other lady, an' ah want 'im to break off. Ah could take a garment dat he wear next to him. Let it be dirty, have his scent in it, an' sleep on it every night. Put it between mah sheet an' de mattress an' sleep on it every night, an' dat'll make him stay home. Ah have tried dat an' dat worked.
Entry 11093
Wash man's clothes, throw this water under door he uses most, he will stay home. [Wilmington 119:2.]
Entry 11095
Wash person's clothes, bottle this water, put overhead - over picture or door - keeps person home. [Norfolk 530:3.]
Entry 11766
If dirt from a sinner's grave is scattered at the door, the person living within becomes worried and dissatisfied and cannot stay there in peace.
[Norfolk 533:7.]
Entry 12074
If a woman wears a man's hat bow, he can't stay away from her. [Balt- imore 51:6.]
Entry 12277
Why yo' jes' take de knife an' de fo'k an' yo' cross dem, an' dere's a verse in de Bible, an' yo' jes' say, In Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' put 'em in de mattress an' let de person sleep on dat, an' 'cos' if dis man is used tuh visitin' yo'...yo' jes' keep dis in yore mattress. (What will that do?) Well, dat will jes' make de man stick aroum' yo' mo' so.
Entry 12278
Ah tell yo' whut chew kin do, yo' kin take a fo'k an' a knife an' wipe dat plate. Git chew a clean rag an' wipe dat plate, his plate, or his fo'k or her fo'k, an' let him eat out it aftah yo' wipe wit it, ev'ry mawnin' fo' 9 mawnin's. An' if he don' stay dere, he'll come tuh stay. (What do you wipe that plate with?) With a clean cloth. Yo' wipe yo'self in heah umndah yore arms, undah both arms, an' in heah, an' den yo' take an' wipe yore plate. An' always yo' wipe it tuh yo' [demonstrates].
(With a circular motion?)
Yassuh, wipe it tuh yo' lak dat. He'll come tuh yo' if he's not staying dere.
(You don't do anything with that knife and fork then?)
Nuthin but wipe it tuh yo', jes' when yo' wipe dat fo'k yo' wipe it dataway. An' yo' wipe it up. (You have to wipe the fork the same as the plate, to you? You wipe the plate and the knife and the fork?) Yassuh, wipe all three of 'em.
Entry 12407
If yo' take mat- ches an' take an' cut de haids of 'em off, an' put 'em in your husban's clothes, say dat will make him love yo'. Jes' cut de haids of de matches off an' 'solve [dissolve] 'em yo' see, an' take de watah off of dem an' cook his food with it. That will make him love yo'.
(Well, how do you mean make him love you?)
Jes' take, lak if he didn't ca' fo' terbacca [tobacco] wus runnin' roun' an' wouldn't stay home, den yo' could take dose matches an' take de sulphur out of 'em an' make him stay home.
Entry 12422
If yore husban' is runnin' aroun' an' yo' want him tuh stay at home, yo' ketch him 'sleep an' yo' git chew some tape, dis white tape whut de lady- folks trim dey dress wit. Yo' git chew some of dat an' yo' ketch him asleep an' yo' measure him, long enough, an' have de string kinda long enough dat chew kin make nine knots in it, aftah yo' measure him. An' yo' take dat tape an' yo' tie it to any tree. Jes' tie it up on any tree, an' he'll stay home. He won't go out nowhere an' run aroun'.
(Any tree outside the house?)
Any tree outside of a house or in de yard or anywhere, jes' any one any- where yo' kin find one. Jes' take it an' tie it up to it an' leave it stay dere.
Entry 12948
Into right shoe put salt, red pepper, bluestone and alum, and bury shoe heel out and toe to house. This makes wearer of shoe stay home. [Mobile 906:1.]
Entry 13063
Well, ah heard dat if she make him eat out of de fryin' pan an' pot, he'd stay home. He won't be so happy tuh go off. (How do you mean, eat out of the frying pan and pot?) Well, wherevah it's cooked, yo' know, let him eat out of that an' don't put it into a plate - jes' let him eat out of de pan - de fryin' pan or skillet or anything lak a pot.
Entry 13147
Git his sock or either his shirt and tear a hole in de mattress in de bed and sew it up in dere, if you want him to stay. [Jacksonville 787:4.]
Entry 13204
They could do sompin with a dirty sock, turn it wrongside out and put it under the steps, make him stay home. [Vicksburg 987:13.]
Entry 13209
A woman puts needles in man's sock and puts it under the doorstep so that toe points towards house - brings him back or keeps him home. [Memphis 1570:10.]
Entry 13228
If yo' wanta keep yore wife wit yo' always - jes' lak if yo' got a wife yo' know an' yo' can't keep her home an' she love tuh go all de time. Jes' take a brass spoon an' dip it into yore sugah dish an' sweeten her coffee. Yo' put it in dere yo'self an' let her take it herself an' stir it. An' yo' evah will have a wife tuh stay at home. Let it stay in dere a few minutes 'fore yo' call her. Yo' understan' me, an' yo'll evah have a wife tuh stay at home - wit dat brass spoon.
Entry 2300
Tuh make a man stay home, dat is, like women gen'rally do to make men stay home, all yo' gotta do is jes' blow yore breath in de right shoe three times an' turn it up, put it undah de bed.
(He'll stay at home?)
Tuh make him stay home - yeah, dat runs about at night.
Entry 4057
Jes' lak yo' stays heah an' yo' wanta make somebody stay at home, yo' jes' git chew a [Lowe's] piece 'bout dat long, an' jes' keep it wet in dat cham- ber lye an' lay it up ovah de do'. He ain't goin' nowhere. (What kind of a piece? Is that a piece of cloth? Or what is it?) Yes, dat's a piece of cloth, yessuh. [My transcriber called this a Louis piece. It is Lowe's cloth from which sacking is or was made. Either I have this name some- where else in the text or my note on this present transcription sheet was made while I still remembered the meaning.]
Entry 4237
Take anybody chamber lye, if yuh want 'em tuh stay wit yuh, an' put table salt in it an' bury it undahneat' yuh do'step.
(What do you put that chamber lye in, anything?)
Jis' put it in a bottle wit cookin' salt.
(Whose chamber lye do you take, that person's that you want to stay?)
Yeah, dat person yuh wanta stay. Jis' lak a man comin' tuh mah house an' goin' tuh anothah house, well ah kin take his pee an' put cookin' salt in it an' bury it undah mah do'step. Well de othah woman, she could do de same thing, if she knew how. Well he jis' have tuh keep penetratin' from dis house tuh dat house, dis house tuh dat house. He can't stay tuh one house. He gotta go tuh dat house. He come tuh see me an' he got a wife. Well ah've got 'im fixed up so bad wit diff'ren' thin's, see, dat when he go back home he can't give a good word out tuh 'is ole lady. If she say anythin' tuh 'im, it make him cross.
(That will cause confusion.)
Entry 4491
Dey say yuh could take de dirt an' let it get dry. (What dirt?) De dirt what's lef' aftah yuh use - when yuh drain de watah out, an' de dirt dat's lef' in de tub. An' let it get dry an' keep it fo' nine days, an' dat will make yuh husban' stay home. I don't know all dat, whut it's fo'.
Entry 4583
Yuh take dis little bow here an' take some devil's-shoestring dey call it. Take dat devil's-shoestring an' dis bow an' some cinnamon bark an' salt [and] black peppah. An' dey takes dis bow an' put it in de sole of yuh shoe. See, like yuh got a shoe, a woman would do dat. Dat's tuh make her - make yuh stay. Yuh goin' tuh stay right wit 'er. An' she'll take dat an' put it in de sole of 'er shoe an' wear it dere. As long as she got dat thing in dere, yuh can't leave her.
Entry 4687
Well, ah've heard dey take dat li'le bow out de hat an' put it in de bottom of yore shoe, an' keep it wet wit chamber lye, yore cham- ber lye, an' jis' wear it in de bottom of yore shoe, twixt de sole an' yore foot. (What will that do?) Dat will keep a man home; he won't leave 'er. She's lyin' onto [she can rely on] him all de time.
(Either shoe?)
No, de left shoe.
Entry 13243
Well, whut she do to make him stay, she take a teaspoonful of wood ashes an' a teaspoonful of spice, an' a teaspoonful of sugar, an' put it in de bed whbre he sleeps at. If he sleep on it he'll stay there.
Entry 13151
Man's right sock under door or mattress [of bed] or carpet where he travels. Make stay home. [Washington, D. C., 815:2.]
The printed statement presents staying home as the intended result of the sock placement; no achieved result is reported. The bracketed [of bed] insertion remains editorial.