Subject:Stop
Entries
Entry 3847
De blood, yo' could take dat an' yo could put dat in a bot- tle. Yo' stop dat up, yo' put dat in a bottle. An' yo' put red peppah, sulphuh an' gunpowdah in dat. An' yo' stop dat up airtight, a person blood, an' dat stop dat blood from trans- mission. Dat stop dere passin' of de blood.
(The blood from any part of the body?)
Yeah.
Entry 3961
If she min'stratin', dey kin take her cloth an' put it in anythin', a hollow log an' stop it up whare it cain't git no air, an' she'll turn lak she got de consumption.
Entry 4074
Dey could do dat. De way ah know dey do dat, dey take a ole gun. Yo've seen dese ole-time guns, de ole muskets we call 'em, shot wit a cap on 'em. Yo take yore chamber lye an' den po' it in dat gun an' stop it up an' put de gun up de chimley. Let de barrel be pointed out. An' dat will hol' yo' watah - yo' can't make watah. [Freud would have had a field day, had a patient seen this rite in a dream!]
Entry 4185
See, yo' kin take a man's chamber lye, yo' undahstan' me, an' yo' kin put it in a bottle, an' yo' kin git 'if lef'-foot track, an' yo' kin git jes' a little tiny bit of powdah'd alum an' put dat in dere, an' yo' kin git a table- spoonfulla yores. (Of your what?) Of yore - yo' undahstan' me, yeah, of yuh chamber lye. An' yo' could step in one room an' let 'im be in anothah, an' yo' could call 'im. An' when he an- swah yo', jes' stop it up tight. An' bury it tuh de back steps or de front steps, an' dat will always keep 'im wit chew. Ah know dat mahsel' [myself].
Entry 4578
Take dat bow. Hit stands in de back of de man's hat. Take dat bow an' take nine needles an' nine pins an' stick 'em evahwhah in dat bow crossed up yuh possibly kin. An' when yuh git 'em all fixed in dat bow lak it supposed tuh be - naow [now] a woman kin fix dat fo' a man an' run 'im crazy - an' take it an' put it in a bottle. An' put some, fill de bottle half up wit table salt, an' den fill de bottle clean up wit 'er urine an' stop dat bottle up. Turn it upside down an' stick it mos' any kin'a cornah or any kinda drawah or [place] up ovah de head or anywhere, but jes' since it's outa sight in a dark place. An' dat man'll go sta'k [stark] crazy.
Entry 5051
If dey kin git de sock, dey'll take yore sock an' take an' bury it - 'cordin' [according] tuh whatevah dey wish tuh do wit dis [sock]. If dey wish tuh harm yuh, dey take yore sock an' bury it undah a tree. Dey'll cut a hole in dis tree - in de trunk-like at de bottom, an' bury dis sock in dat tree. Do dis tree some hahm [harm] dat it will die. An' as dis tree die, in dataway yuh do likewise.
(I see. Now, do they take both socks?)
Take dat lef'-foot sock.
Entry 5083
Take de sock dat he done wored an' put it undah where - stretch it out on de side dat she lays on In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost an' sleep on it. Den he will stop runnin' roun'. (Stretch it out where?) Undahneat' 'er bed, which an' why. Put it undah de sheet on de bed an' lay on it, an' make her wish In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost dat she means tuh stop 'im from runnin' roun'. Dat will stop 'i. [Florence, S. Car. (1314), 2510:4.]
Entry 5879
Jis' lak if yo' didn't wan' chure wife tuh evah leave 'way from heah, bo' a hole somewhere in de flo'. Don' bo' it clean through dere yo' know. An' take her hair an' punch it down in dere, an' jis' pack it down in dere an' stop it up, an' she won't be goin' nowhere. An' de same way wit de man.
Entry 5986
Well, if she kin git 'im back she go to de Ten Cent Sto' an' buy her a bottle of Hearts Cologne, if she kin git in touch wit 'im to git dat much of hair oata his haid - a strand of hair. Put it to de Hearts Cologne. Turn de bottle apside down an' call 'is name. When he answah, screw de top - shut de voice up in dere an' he can't stay away. HE'LL COME BACK IN SMILES.
(She does this when he is gone. She gets some of his hair?)
His hair. She hide some place while he gone, an' whensoevah he come in, she has his hair in de bottle, an' jes' call 'im quickly. He'll glance up quickly. Screw de top. She's got 'im. [To hold a bottle of perfume upside down with the cork stopper unloosened, while calling a name and waiting for an answer, could be a delicate operation. But we must realize that the cork is barely untwisted and that the spirit in the answering voice can fly - or what- ever a spirit does - through the smallest crack.] [For catching spirit in a bot- tle, see p.24.]
Entry 6200
If yo' wanta git a person out de way, dat's whut de ole folks have said. De person dat yo' wan'a git out de way, yo' git some of 'is hair an' take it tuh de woods, an' git chew a augah an' bo' a hole in de no'th side of de tree, an' git chew a frog an' put dat frog in dere on top of dat, an' git chew a wedge an' put dat wedge in dere an' drive it in tight, an' evah day yo' go back an' tap dat wedge. Well, when dat frog dies, why dat person die. Well, yo' git 'im out de way, yo' undahstan'.
(When the frog dies, that person dies.)
Entry 6458
All right, if yo' wants tuh run a woman crazy, yo' take some of 'er hair. An' cut 'er lef' li'le fingahnail, an' den git de middle fingahnail off de right han', an' some of 'er hair, an' tie it up tuhgethah an' go tuh a li'le saplin' tree. Bo' a hole intuh it an' place it in dat hole in dat tree. Ah guarantee yo' 'fo' a good while she be crazy.
Entry 6888
If she [an enemy] gits 'er [victim's] urine an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' bury it, she can't delivah dis child. It will stop 'er womb an' she won' have stren't enough tuh force dis child, an' if de doctors can't take de child, it will kill 'em [baby]. Den [in addition to losing the baby] she will have tuh see someone tuh git 'er water tuh run, tuh work on dese peoples' [the spellcaster's] min' tuh git dis watah up an' take de stoppah out of it. But if dey nevah do, why it will kill dem [the woman with water trouble]. (That is, a woman could do that to another woman to cross her.up if she were having a child.) She would have tuh git someone tuh git dis watah from dis person, eithah watch it [an opportunity] 'erself.
Entry 7658
Anyone dat's daid an' dere spirit worry yuh, why yo' go tuh dere grave an' git on de lef' side; an' git some of de dirt offa dere lef' side an' carry it on yore person, an' dey'll stop worryin' yo'.
Entry 8516
In a she coconut - yo' know de she coconut?
(What is a she coconut?)
A she coconut got two eyes.
(All right.)
Yo' take jis' one of dem eyes an' push it out an' drain dat milk [coconut juice] out. An' yo' put someone's name in dere, if yo' wanta drive dem away from yuh, an' throw it ovah yuh left shouldah [into running water]. An' it's goin' tuh drift, an' wherevah it drift dey gotta go. (Can you bring them back with a coconut?) Yes, if yo' Wanta bring 'em back, yo' gotta git dis he coconut. De he coconut has got three eyes. Yo' push one eye out but yo' gotta be sure dat de right eye yo' pushin' out doesn't got [does not have] a white spot. An' dat main eye dat's de eye yo' push out. An' put a stoppah in dere an' dump dat milk out. [The stopper is inserted after the milk is out.] Now, yo' throw dat disaway, dataway, dat's bringin' 'em back, see [demonstrates].
(Throw it over your shoulder. Throw it at your house?)
Yeah, throw it at your house. [Throwing an object towards the house, door, etc. is a common rite to bring a person back.l
(Over your right shoulder?)
No. Over yuh right shouldah? Yeah, ovah yuh right. (And when you want to bring this man back that's away, you throw it over your right shoulder?) Throw it ovah yuh right.
Entry 8647
Now, yo' take a lemon an' put nine needles - nine goldeye needles - an' take cinnamon an' cayenne peppah an' sugah. Aftah dat chew take an' sew it up. Aftah yo' sew it up. take 'an' put it into de sock. Yo' Write de name nine times an' put it into dat sock. Aftah dat yo' jes' keep it. Dat is really goin' tuh stop de fellah from gamblin' an' won' fool aroun' wit any woman, anybody. If he have anything to say about anybody [woman] he see, he hate 'em, git against 'em. An' along fin- ally, naturally he leaves away. He leave heah lak on Friday, an' yo' won' see him no mo' at all, he disappeah. An' yo' come tuh find 'im an' he's somewheres layin' on de road daid.
Entry 8872
Dey take yore han'writin' an' run yo' completely crazy, an' git chure fingahprints from de lettah dat chew wrote, an' jes' mess yo' all up in yore han's lak it be's a kin' of a stroke.
(What would they do with that?)
A woman tole me dey take it [letter] an' dress it. [Thinking informant had ended, I stopped recording machine but had to restart for an addition.]
(After they dress it, they stop it up in a green tree?)
Dress it an' den stop it up in a green tree.
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 9660
Sprinkle coal oil down and salt down. That makes a fuss. Now, to stop the fuss, how would you stop it? All right, I'd stop the fuss in this manner. If I find out they throw oil down there, anything like that, they got that down to fuss and fight. I'd take sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of that, and then I'd burn that. Right wheresomever the spot is where that oil is, I'd Pat the cinnamon and the sugar there and light it and let it burn. It's not going to burn the floor at all. It's going to burn until that floor come back natural just the same as it was before that oil got on there. And then that would be all over with, wouldn't be no more quarrelin' then.
Entry 9704
Well, yo' take, get one - yo' callin' all de time - yo' git chew some sulphuh an' git chew some table salt, an' mix dat tuhgethah an' make yo' a dust. Be callin' all de time. [Call anything you want to: Quarrels in this house must stop.] Jes' cake it an' scattah it right in front dat do'. Always scattah it all ovah de house an' jes' bend as yo' walk all ovah. [Why performer bends over I do not lmov. Like a wounded bird is operator deceiving the spirit working the spell?]
(What will that do?)
Dat'll stop de fuss. (Stop the fuss in the house.) [Kills whatever conjure started and continues the quarrels.]
Entry 9708
Take some table salt an' some sulphur an' put togethah an' mix it up very good, an' burn that table salt an' sulphur, say, Ah burn this in the Name of the Father, the Son an' the Holy Ghost. An' it will pass away. (What will pass away?) All interferences in mah business. (If anybody is trying to interfere with your business, that'll kill that out.) Dat'll kill that out.
Entry 9824
Why ah could come up tuh yuh ev'ry day an' git me a pin or eithah a needle. If ah don' borrah a pin from yuh ah'll borrah a needle from yuh. Well, when ah gits mahself nine needles an' nine pins, well all right. Ah goin' come an' borrah salt or eithah black peppah from yuh, or eithah red peppah from yuh. Well, ah done borrahed an' borrahed it. Ah knows mah num- bah what ah done got from yuh. Ah done got nine pins an' nine needles from yuh. Ah takes 'em an' carried 'em tuh a green tree, an' ah takes an' digs a li'l hole in dat green tree, an' ah - see, ah got a cork stoppah. An' ah put dem needles an' pins, drive 'em in dere, an' ah take dis cork stoppah an' stop 'em in dere. Well, in about nine days yo'll be daid. [Informant names victim by intention; besides, victim has handled the articles.]
Entry 9961
(You take an ordinary toadfrog?) A ordinary toadfrog. Don't kill 'im. Stop 'im up in a bottle an' let 'im die. He'll dry up in dere, an' den yo' kin jis' crumple it up. Put it in a piece, sew it up in a piece [of cloth] an' put it in yuh pocket. Yo' boun' tuh win. Ah knows dat.
Entry 10058
Take a black cat an' throw it in a pot of hot watah... [I turn off machine here be- cause rite did not appear to be promising. This was a frequent habit of mine to save time and cylinder space. Once more I shall stop machine before letting it continue to the end. My questions show what had been omitted.]
(After they boil this black cat what do they do?)
Take 'is bones, all de bones an' carry it down tuh de...
[I stop machine and then begin again.]
(After they get this bone that goes up the stream, then what do they do?)
Dey take it an' goes tuh de fo'ks of de road fo' nine mawnin's an' pray tuh de Lord an' say dey sell deyself tuh de devil. An' den dey kin do anythin' dey wan'a do an' can't nobody hahm 'em.
Entry 10119
Ah've had a fren' of mine - ah've seen dat. Ah've had a frien' of mine kill a cat, black cat. Jis' taken an' put 'im in de watah live - jis' put in de watah live an' let 'im cook all tuh pieces. But dat's de devil [devil's work]. Let 'im cook all tuh pieces an' put a lid ovah 'im, [keep] dat down. Let 'im cook all tuh pieces when he's live. He took dat cat, when he cook all tuh pieces, he took de right hin' laig of 'is bone den an' throw it in de watah. Hit'll run up [stream]. It shore do. Hit'll run up an' den come back, an' stop an' turn aroun' [and surely bows to you!]. Dat's de lucky bone. But chew don' fin' [find] dat done evah day.
(The right hind leg.)
Dat bone by de j'int [joint].
Entry 10414
Do somebody dat way - take a bottle an' put a green leaf in it.
(Any kind of a green leaf?)
Any kind of a green leaf. Call dis fellah an' he answer yo'. Stop it up, den yo' got his voice in dere. Take some runnin' water an' throw it in dere [throw the bottle into run- ning water], an' he'll be gone. (But the fellow must answer you, you call and he must answer you?) [He had said this on first giving the rite.] Yes.
(Why do you put that green leaf in there? Do you know why it's done?)
To hold his voice.
Entry 10689
They skim de bath water an' they cooks that in with de husband's food an' that'll make him have a weak stomach. He will always feel sick an' he won't want to go anywhere an' per- haps - de woman do that to keep him at home, to keep him from running around. It ties up his nachure [na- ture]. He don't have any feeling towards her at all, no more than a - be a slave in de home for her, while she'll be out running around with different other guys. That puts her to be free amongst men an' him a slave at home. Use de bath water.
Entry 10728
De instinct or de blood - understand me, from de index finger here [demonstrates]. (Well what do they [do], squeeze the blood from the index finger?) [This is not a leading question. He, like so many before him is acting: pretending to prick his finger and to squeeze out blood.] Yeah, an' you kin take de brand-new tin plate and you take de needle, understand me, and prick your index finger till it bleeds. And write dat name down in dat brand-new tin plate and bury it with de point down dere - I mean with de tin plate down here. Den you write one verse of de 16th chapter of Ezekiel and de 6th verse. [He repeats verse rapidly.]
(Well, now will you repeat that verse slowly for me so I can get it?)
And when I passed by and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I says unto thee, when thy wasting thy blood live, and yeah, I says unto thee when dey wast- ing thy blood, live. [This is an understandable but not an exact quotation from any version of the Bible.] Now, dat'll stop any blood from flowin' in de world; not only on human beings but on animals, of any character, anybody with a shot, cut or have a hemorrhage in any respect in life - dat will sure as God stop it.
Entry 10734
Dey come an' git dey sanitary clothes an' bury 'em, an' dat cause de woman in bad health an' lak dat. An' she cain't have no chillern; see, because dey won't even ministrate.
Entry 10792
Keep de witches out (How do you do that?) Jes' take de broom an' put it across de do'. Dat's all ah know 'bout de broom.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep de evil spirits away.
(And the witches out.)
Yes sir.
Entry 11019
(Ever hear of them using chicken feathers for anything?) [An old note of mine adds: Always asked this question to see whether Negro believed in witch wreath.] Well, er...ah.... Jis' lak a person doin' somepin tah yo an' yo' wanta git rd of 'en, yo' take some of de feathahs outa dey bed shere dey sleep at an' yo' put dis oil of bergamine [bergamot] an' sweet oil togethah an' jis' grease dose feathah with 'em, dat chew got out de bed from where dey sleep. Jis' grease dose feathahs with 'em an' take 'em an' put 'em in a can or somepin an stop 'em up, an' take 'em tuh de south side of a tree not very far from dey house an' bury it dere. See. An' when dem dere feathahs will finally pine away - dey'll jis' pine away tuh nuthin. Dey jis' git sick an' dey sick on dey stomick an' dey jis' ache all ovah. An' it jis' sompin lak de rheumatism an' cain't no doctor [M.D.] do 'em no good an' event'ly dey'll die.
Entry 11146
Go tuh de fo'ks of de road, fo' [to make] a man tuh go in a diff'- ren' d'rection. Take a lookin'glass an' dey beat dat up right fine, an' if he's goin' tuh de fo'k of de road, yo' take dat an' jes' throw it in de fo'k of de road 'bout sunset - 'tween dak [dark] an' sunset, an' he won' go dat way no mo'. He'll turn roun' an' go back. Yo' do dat tuh stop him from goin' dat way. He won' go dat way no mo'. He tu'n [turn] his back.
(If he's running away after some other women or something?)
Yes.
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 11385
Policeman comes several times and you wanta keep him away, and you doin' underworld work. You have to get you oil of cinnamon, use your chamber lye, and cayenne pepper, and scrub every morning before the sunrise. Scrub into house [for trade], never out. Then you get you two brand-new files and you put 'em to your door and cross 'em. They can't come over that.
(Well, where did you put these at the door then? How would you put them?)
What, the files?
(Yes, at the door.)
You would put them underneath the doorstep.
(Underneath the doorstep. I see, so they won't come in.)
You have to use 'em in de back door like dat [also] if there is two entrances going in. Well they can't come across those two new files.
Entry 11590
Ah hear'd of 'em pickin' up de tracks, zhoo know, way [where] people galks along. An' dey jis' take up de san' [from the heel of both tracks, right and left] in de han', zhoo know, an' take a piece of chewin' gum, jis' lak yo' git out de sto', an' chew it. An' take dat an' wrap it all up togethah, yo' know, an' go to a tree an' bo' a hole in de tree, an' put it in dere, an' close dat tree up. An' de nex' day dis person will be gone, dead and buried.
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 11858
Dey carry dat to a tree.
(This hair from your head?)
Yes, sir. Take and put it in a tree, and bore a hole in de tree first, and put it in de tree. And I hear 'em say dey take it and make a peg, like a stop- per, you know, and put it in de tree and stop it up in dere. Heard 'em say dat, yes, sir. Stay in dere so many days. If you don't get somebody [hoodoo doctor] to take it off you, why you'll - you bound to go [die]. You're stopped up.
(Stopped up?)
Yes, give you what dey call locked bowels [which will kill you. No M.D. can help you. A common belief].
(I see.)
Entry 12288
Ah heard tell of a person takin' a string - a cord jes' like dey ties - if yo' want a person hurt. Why, where it will kill 'em, yo' know, or sompin like dat. Jes' git some of dis heah string an tie 9 knots in it, jes' as tight as yo' kin. An' bo' a hole into a green tree, any kind of a tree, jes' so it's green, an' put dat knot in it, dat dere string dat chew tied dem knots into dat tree, an' stop it up.
(Don't you say anything or do anything?)
Nosuh, jes' makes 'em sick till dey dies.
(You have to get a string from them, or what?)
Yassuh, from dey house. Anywhere roun' dere house yo' git dat string dat dey been usin'.
Entry 12292
Dat's in de lines of castin' a spell upon a person. Go tuh work an ties 36 knots, if yo' wanta cast a spell upon a person. Put a spell upon a per- son, ties thirty-six knots. Take a strand of thread and tie 36 knots an' let 'em be three inches apart. Dose knots, let 'em be three inches apart 'sposed tuh be in dat thread. An' yo' wil] throw dat thread, after yo' git dose 36 knots tied in it, why den yo'll throw dat thread ovah yore haid an' don't look back. An' yo'll step out de road - anywhere's dere a road - from de middle of de road, throw dat thread ovah yore haid an' don't look back. An' dat will really, de fac' 'bout it, suh, will give dem a purtty tight time. Make 'em crazy - whushy in dey mind.
(How do you know you've got the right person when you are tying those knots?)
Why dere 36 knots! "Cos' yo' know yo' absolutely got de right person.
Entry 12423
Now, she kin take a piece of cord, or a piece of string, or anything lak dat an' measure him, yo' see. Yo' ketch de string tight an' yo' measure him. Den aftah measurin' it, yo' tie dem nine knots, an' yo' put it in a bottle or put it in a can or any- thing lak dat an' throw it in de rivah. Yo' see an' dat'll keep him driftin' - jes' keep a-goin'. Dat's when yo' wanta run a fellah way.
Entry 12548
(For a man to hold a woman.)
You take 9 of her fingernails and 9 of her toenails, and then get a red onion, and get 9 strands of hair out de mole [mold] of her head. And take that onion, red onion, and cut it open and dig a little hole in it. And then take them 9 toenails and 9 fingernails, and that 9 strands of hair out of her head, and place together and put it in there, and stop that onion up. And go round the house towards where the sun rise, and dug [dig] a little hole, and put it [in] there and then cover it up. [Copied from my rough original pen- cil transcription made soon after recording; original copy attached.]
Entry 12655
Yo' git chew dis peppah, peppah sauce, an' yo' git a tea- spoon an' yo' put nine drops of dat peppah sauce in dat teaspoon an' stop it up in a bottle. Go undah de house an' bury it upside down. Dat'll move 'em - move anything yo' please, anyone yo' wanta do.
Entry 12734
Ah've heard where yo' could wreck a train or somepin lak dat. Dat whut yo' speakin' about? Well, dey tell me dat de way yo'd wreck de train, yo drive a iron [railroad] spike - lak dere be some- body on de train dat chew wanta git hurt or somepin lak dat. Yo' jes' take an' drive a iron spike in between de track an' den when de train git tuh it, well, quite natchly it would wreck it, dey not bein' able tuh see it.
(Drive the spike in between the track?)
Yeah, jes' a long spike - anything yo' know tuh stop dat killer dere from goin'. See, dat'll wreck de train. [Somewhere in HOODOO a woman stops a train at a railroad crossing by magic means.]
Entry 12891
I tell you how that is did. She takes some of his discharge, and use some kind of solution on it, and use it like dat and have you [a man] so you can't have no ambitions for her or no other woman. (What would she do with that?) Just take it and there some kind of solution that made up with some kind of root, some kind of root you go out and get. I know a old man out chere got some of it. And when she gets up she shake dat bottle.
(She puts the solution together?)
Puts the solution in with the urinate, and with this root and stop it up, and shake dat bottle every morning for nine mornings. And the tenth morning, instead of her shaking it, she throws it over her right shoulder and breaks the bottle. Then as she turns around, she turns to the right.
(She turns to the right?)
Turn to the right when she turns, and pick that up. Just pick up what's left, the roots and things of that kind, and takes 'em and wraps 'em up and places 'em away to some safe place.
(And what will that do to him?)
That will keep him from having anything to do with anybody. His use goes entirely away.
Entry 12893
[These two separate rites I have left together for the sake of the reference; the first rite being somewhat special, the second fairly common:] Dey'll take de bottom, jes' lak yo' got a ole piece of stockin' an' take de bottom out of a stockin'. Cut it off an' let it be dirty. It can't do yo' no harm unless it's dirty. Dey take de bottom of dat stockin' an' cut it out - cut de bottom of dat stockin' out - an' takes it an' stops it m. If dey kin git a chance, yo' know, when dey make connection, dey kin use dat. Stop it up, jes' continue - continue - continue. Well, jes' lak if yo' wus a man, wus comin' to mah house, an' wus goin' into anything wit me, yo' know, an' ah'd git chew sometime. Dere's de bucket right dere. Make yore connection [urine] right dere in dat bucket. Well, ah'm not goin' make none in dere. Ah'm puttin' yo' up to make it. [Then I] stop it up.
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 13346
They take your water, you see, they stop it up in a little bottle. And after they stop it up, they take it and lay it up over a door where you walk under, and let chew walk under it so many morn- ings. I think it's 9 mornings. After 9 morn- ings - you see, you don't move it no more, it stay where you put it. And they say take it and carry down to the river and throw it overboard. That'll stop you from making water.
Entry 150
(What do they say about the whirlwind - what do people say it is?)
Say dat if yo' whistle at it, it will stop fightin'.
(Did you ever try it?)
No, ah nevah tried it. Ah 'fraid it might stop sho' nuff.
Entry 163
Anywhere sometime, lak dat a whirlwind wus stopped dat-a-way, a fellah would watch it. Dey claim right where it stop at dere's a hidden treasure. A hidden treasure generally be where it stop at. Dey prove it. Jes' watch it where it stop at.
Entry 1620
Ah tell yo' whut chew kin do. Yo' kin stop a person from comin' where yo' is if yo' go to dere foot track. Yo' git chew some chamber lye an' yo' take some chamber lye an' yo' kin drop nine drops in dey track. Dat'll stop dem from comin' where yo' is if dey's comin' tuh kill you or do anything: Yo' turns 'em aroun' wit dat. Nine drops in each one of dey tracks when dey's walkin' dere walkin' to yore place. Yo' kin stop 'em if dey walk backwards an' forwards right at dat time if yo' know dey track. "Yo' see dere track anywhere, all yo' got'a do is drop dat in dere.
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 12527
In case of serious trouble, yo' kin take red onions. If de person in de house raisin' Sam [= one of many names for the devil] an' yo' don' wanta run 'em out, yo' kin take a red onion an' not say a word, an' walk back fn de house an' jes' throw it up on de bed lak dat, an' dat trouble will stop right away. Throw it up on de bed an' de trouble will stop right immedi- ately. It won' be but two minutes 'fore everybody quiet down.
Entry 11491
"They kin take a pinch of dirt out from under your foot track...carry it home and put it in a bottle, take that and bury it...stops you from walking
[to keep home]." [Norfolk 530:14.]
Entry 1728
Say fo' instance now, yo' an' a fellah's had a little run into 'bout a girl an' yo' is scared of him an' yo' know he's a guy dat'll hurt chew. Yo' say, "Well, ah don't wanta git in no trouble. Ah'll git him outa town quick." Yo' git chew one those black quart bottles - dose brown ones, yo' know. All right, yo' git chew de indelibin [indelible] pencil an' write his name thirteen ways that way, an' nine thisaway [demonstrates].
(That is nine across the thirteen - make it like an' "x", a cross?)
Yassuh. It matters [not] which way yo' put 'em. Yo' kin put nine one way an' thirteen de othah, an' thirteen one way an' nine de othah - jes' so yo' make it lak a cross dat way. Yo' fold it. Yo' take dat on a piece of papah an' roll it from yo'. See, roll it from yo' an' put it in dis bottle an' git on a boat an carry it de center of a rivah that's where de watah is swift, de current, an' jes' drap it ovahbo'd. Stop it up tight wit de name in it an' drap it ovahbo'd. In twelve hours he's gone.
Entry 4272
Why, yuh see - but dat's so hard to git - see, becuz prob'ly ah an' yuh in de room. Well, we's pass watah in de same bucket, but when yuh wanta git dat, yuh see, yuh [woman] gotta pass watah in one [bucket] an' have one fer 'em [man]. Co'se when yuh [he] pass watah in deah [there], yuh have tuh take dat watah. If he goin' throw sompin in deah [he could spit into it to kill any love cunjure see margin titles soon to follow, beginning with word SPITTING]. Yuh gotta throw dat in de toilet, yuh undahstan'. When yuh got dat stuff, yuh got 'im stopped tight [in a bottle]. Why dat's perfect. Well, now, if he comin' - if it's time fer 'im tuh be comin' from work, yuh jis' lifts dat stoppah up a little bit. Dat's fer 'im tuh come home. If it's payday, shake it [bottle] an' he can't stop till he git home. [He won't] git rid of de [money]. If yuh want 'im to broke [break away] an' run home, jis' git a little bit [of] de foot track an' put it [in] dere [bottle] too. Long as yuh has dat, why he's gOtta COme. BUT LONG AS HE WORKIN', WHY DURIN' DE DAY JIS' LIFT DE STOPPAH AN' GIVE HIM A LITTLE AIR, YO' KNOW, TUH WORK ON. BUT WHEN YUH THINK IT'S KNOCKIN'- OFF TIME, STOPPAH DOWN. An' shaken it [bottle] up an' [or] down lak dat [means]: WHEN YUH WAN' 'IM TUH WORK, SHAKE IT DOWN, yuh know stick it on de head; an' WHEN YUH WAN' 'IM TUH COME HOME, SET IT UP STRAIGHT. An' aftah he come home, yuh kin lay it down.
Entry 3142
(You say she wipes him with this towel. Then what does she do with it?) Put it in a jah [jar], yessuh. Stops it up tight an' put a weight tuh de jah, so it will sink when yo' throw it in de watah. Throw it in de watah where nobody can't git holt of it, or yo' kin even bury it, yo' see, but nobody will know where it's at but chew. An' dat will stop a man from havin' anything tuh do wit anothah woman.
Entry 3287
An' den if yo' wanta git a woman, or anybody in de family, why yo' kin a - de rag dat dey use, de towel rathah, an' go in de woods an' bo' a augah hole in a hick'ry tree an' put it in dere, an' stop it tight an' drive a peg in it tight, an' dat 11 carry 'em away.
(What did you put in that hole?)
De towel dat dey use.
(After they have been together?)
Dat's it, aftah dey have been togethah. Jes' a hole in a hick'ry tree jes' about one inch an' stop it up in dere tight, an' drive it in dere tight.
(What will that do?)
Dat will perish 'em away.
(Do you mean that monthly rag the woman has?)
No, de one whut dey use aftah dey git through.
(The one that she has wiped with?)
Yessuh.
Entry 3605
Take some of de hair from undah his clothes an' some of de hair from off de woman an' tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef wit nine knots, an' tote it in yore pocket.
(This woman would take some of his hair down below?)
Yes sir.
(Just the hair, and what would she do with that?)
She would tie it up in a pocket han'ke'ch'ef.
(What would she put with that hair, anything?)
She put her hair.
(Where would she get her hair?)
Outa down below.
(She puts it in the handkerchief, any kind of handkerchief?)
Yes sir, jes' a white han'ke'ch'ef. An' tie it in nine knots. She does wit dat hair an' she jest tote it, put it in her pocket an' tote it.
(What will that do then?)
Well, that will stop him.
(Stop him from running around with other women?)
Yes sir, hold 'im right dere.
Entry 4161
If a person is a enemy tuh yuh, now dey kin take yuh chamber lye an' stop yuh watah completely. An' dey take dat bottle an' stop it up as tight as dey kin git it, an' dey kin take it undah de back do'step or eithah in de no'th cornah up undah de house an' bury 'em dere. Yuh put such a po'tion [portion]- yuh leave a po'tion, enough of it out, dat chew kin take a hammah an' go dere an' hit fo' nine mawnin's befo' sunrise, an' it will stop yuh watah completely. An' IF IT AIN'T REMOVED, IT WILL CARRY YUH TUH DE CEMETERY.
(What do they hit? Do they hit the bottle?)
Yes, dey hit de bottle. Dey have it tight down - de bottle, dey covah [pack] it tight down, an' de' hit it fo' nine mawnin's. (What did they do with the other water? You said they poured a portion out didn't you?) No sir. Dey po' whut dey ketch, undahstan'. Jes' lak if dey wanted tuh ketch yuh watah tuh do yuh harm, undahstan'. If dey can't git tuh de chambah in de house, undahstan', dey'd set it up somewhere undah yuh labor'tory [lavatory] - mo' [more] specially if it's out [outside the house] - an' ketch it dataway. An' ketch enough tuh fill up dat little vial.
(Well, wouldn't the hitting break that bottle?)
No sir.
(They don't hit it hard enough?)
No, jis' hard enough tuh drive it down.
Entry 4348
Dey take yuh watah, yuh see. Dey stop it up in a bottle. An' aftah dey stop it up, dey take it an' lay it up ovah a doah, wheah [where] yuh walk undah it so many mawnin's. Ah think it's nine mawn- in's. After nine mawnin's, yuh see, yuh don't move it no mo'. It stay zackly wheah it's at. An' dey say take an' care [it] down tuh de rivah an' throw it ovahbo'd. Dat'll stop yuh from makin' watah.
Entry 4352
Den dey kin take de chamber lye ag'in an' put it in a bottle an' stop it up tight an' name it. De person whosomevah de chamber lye is, name it. Call 'em dat name an' stop it up in dere an' carry it tuh watah dat's runnin' on, an' yo'll throw it in dere. (How do you throw it?) Jis' take it an' jis' walk tuh de creek wit it. Don't look at it. Walk tuh de creek an' jis', 'Yuh devil yuh go!" An' cast it away. Den walk on back but don't look back at it. An' dat stop 'em. Dat harms 'em, see. Dat will check 'em yuh see.
(How?)
As long as dat bottle stop up tuhgethah, cain't make no watah.
Entry 4357
Take dey chamber lye an' stop a person. (How do they do that?) Well, dey take it an' dey put it in a bottle an' dey bottle dat up fo' nine mawnin's. An' dey'll put peppah, salt, gunpowdah, war watah an' dey stop dat up fo' nine mawnin's. An' dat'll stop yuh from urinatin', see. Dat'll almos' run yuh crazy. Den dey throw it in de rivah.
Entry 5029
Git de socks, de right, an' jis' let it, yuh know, as yuh sprinkle it wit dat little sugah, jis' fold it tuh yuh. An' when yuh fold it tuh yuh, take it an' bury it at de steps an' he won' go anywheres.
Entry 5547
Git chew a bran'-new piece of cord string, cord string. Go an' buy yo' a ball a nickel[!] ball of cord string, undahstan'. An' yo' ketch dat track. Yo' watch 'em where dey pass an' yo' go dere an' yo' measure dat from yore toe to yuh heel. Tie dat knot in dere [at the length] an' put it in yore pocket. Den yo' got 'em.
(How do you mean you got them?)
If yo' wanta bring 'em tuh yo' or whut chew wanta do. Tuh stop 'em from walkin' or fix 'em any Way yo' want, well yo' got 'em, yo' see.
Entry 5556
Well, ah heard of a - if anybody yo' wants tuh do anythin' tuh an' yo' see 'em walkin', yo' could take a wire nail an' drive it right down in 'is track an' dat'll stop 'im from walkin'.
Entry 5705
Well, if a person make yo' mad an' yo' wan' 'em tuh leave dat town, yo git 'is left track, an' if yo' come tuh a railroad anywhere, yo' take an' git some of dat dirt where dat train run out, an' throw it on dat train, an'say, "Go, yo' son-of-a-bitch." An' jis' as long as train will run, Be'll try tuh ketch up wit it. Don' care where. Yo' chunk it right on top de train. An' jis' as long as dat train will go, don' care if outa de state, he'll try tuh ketch it. When dat train stop he'll stop.
Entry 7109
If she wants tuh stop 'im from runnin' aroun' wit anothah woman, when he's sleep in de night, take her panties an' put it undah 'is pillah, undah 'is head, an' dat will stop 'im from runnin' aroun'. An' he sleep over dat all night an' he stop runnin' roun' den.
Entry 7201
[Before I turn on recording machine informant says he knows about some- thing done at the forks of the road.]
(What do they do at the forks of the road?)
All right, yo' kin go tuh de fo'ks of de road [crossroad here] an' yo' kin take salt an' throw it fo' diff'ren' [rooster crows on cylinder] ways in de fo'k of de road. Make fo' mahks [marks] at defo'k of de road an' throw dat salt an' sprinkle dem marks. An' eithah [whichever] way dat yo' wan' dat person tuh go, dey'll go dataway. Jis' de direction yo' wan' 'em tuh go, he'll go dat direction, yo' see. He ain't nevah goin' tuh come back, yo' see. [Vicksburg, Miss., (725), 993:5.] [Cylinder 993:6 followed without containing any information I could use. In some manner dissatisfied with the preceding crossroad rite, I decided to return to it.} (Now, you were talking a moment ago about making those marks on the crossroad. What kind of marks would you make out there? What kind of marks?) Yo' jis' - yo' kin make straight mahks, cross 'em. Make 'em an "x".
(Like an "x"?)
In an "x" in de middle fo'k of de road where...
(In the fork of the road. The road goes four ways?)
Yes, sir.
(And you put some of that stuff in each road?)
Each road. (And if you want him to go in a certain direction, do you have to point the direction you want him to go?) Point out dat direction, jis' point 'em straight. An' if yo' wan' 'em tuh go dis direction [demonstrates], yo' kin point dataway. An' put dat stuff dataway an' throw it dataway, an' dat's de way yo' gwine.
(You only throw it in one fork of the road?)
Yes, sir.
(You only throw it one way?)
One way.
(The way he's going?)
De way he's gwine, an' he'll go dataway an' he won't nevah come back. He be gwine all de time, gwine.
Entry 7416
(Yes, what do they do out there?)
When yo' git in de fo'ks of de road, yo' makes a cross. Yo' make a cross dere in de fo'k of de road, an' den yo' turn backwards - make three steps backwards.
(What will that do?)
Whadyado? [= What do you do?] Make three steps backwards? Yo' goes dere along. See, dat's in ordah to cross up de othah person dat supposed to follah yo'. (I see.) Yeah, dat's whut dat's fo'. Yo' go out dere an' yo' make a cross right down in de road an' den yo' back three steps backwards. Well, dat's prevents de person from follahin' yo', which way yo' goin'. Dat stops 'em.
(I see.)
Entry 7859
Ah've heard of about graveyard dirt. If yo' wuz in love wit a man an' he wuz goin' tuh a place dat chew didn't want 'im tuh go, an' come tuh see yuh, yo' kin take graveyard dirt an' go tuh dis lady's house an' sprinkle it on de porch, front do', as much as yo' kin. Dat'll stop 'im from goin' dere. AN' AH HAVE TRIED DAT AN' DAT'S TRUE.
Entry 9389
Ah've heard 'em say dey take a chicken aig, an' say jis' lak yo' wus livin' in dis home an' de rentahs wus worryin' yo' or somepin, yo' could git chew three fresh ones an' jis' go out on one side of de house an' jis' chunk 'em clean ovah on de othah [side]. Ah imagine dat would be hard tuh do. But dey says dat stops dem from bothahin' yo' any mo'.
(Stops who?)
Stop de rentahs from worryin' yo', de man dat chew rent from, or de lady dat chew rent from. (Oh, they come bothering you about the rent or something of that sort. Any kind of chicken eggs?) Dey says jis' fresh aigs. Some folks says dey use black hen aigs. [This is an unusual rite. Most of these rites involve a person renting or owning the whole house. Here we have a person renting a room in the house, a person who does not want to be bothered too often about the rent. In throwing these eggs he or she does not move himself or herself. I suppose this could also apply to the renter of the whole house. Intention can change the normal meaning of a rite.]
Entry 9390
Take a black hen's aig - three hen aigs, black hen aigs. Lak a person bothahin' yo' fo' rent an' tellin' yo' tuh move, yo' kin take three of dose aigs an' throw it ovah yore house, an' dat'll keep 'im away from bothahin' yuh. (Just throw them over your own house?) Yes, sir, jis' chunk 'em cross de house.
Entry 10201
(Tell me that again.) Yes, see, if you have a wife and she wouldn't stay home, doing some evil doings, you could pray and burn to St. Michael a red candle. Well, they say, that would be good to stop 'em, to change 'em, but I....
Entry 2946
Well, the way to stop it - the easy way to stop it would be to go to somebody house, not your house, get a straw out of the broom, a broomstraw. (One straw?) One straw, but you break it and you cross it and you wear that in your hair - like that [demonstrates].
(Like a cross in your head?)
A cross in your head, yes sir, about 21 days and you can stop it. But if you let it get too far, you can't stop it. But [if] you go to somebody right away and you find out what's your trouble, you can stop it.
Entry 3545
Now, if yo' don't want 'im to go wit nobody but chew, yo' go to de sto' an' buy yo' a bran'-new - uh yahd [yard] of unbleached cotton, yeah. (Unbleached?) Cotton, yeah. Dat's yallah [yellow] cotton, unbleached - not bleached, unbleached. An' yo'll spread [it] right where he lays at. An' when yo' git ready to go wit 'im, have connection wit 'im, now don't chew discharge. Ah'm not goin' to discharge wit 'im, he goin' to discharge by 'isself. Ah takes dat an' ah'll tear a string off it, an' ah'll put nine knots in it an' ah'll wear it aroun' mah wais'. Now, when he git ready to go to see anothah woman, he can't see her. Ah'll stop 'im wit dat.
Entry 4056
Dey tell me dey take yuh chamber lye tuh stop a person from makin' watah. Dey take dat an' put it in a bottle an' cork dat tight, an' tie it up ovah yuh do'. Dat's de way dey do wit de chamber lye. Dat's what dey tell me. Yo' can't make no watah.
(Over whose door do you tie that?)
Right ovah mah do'.
(Over your own door? But you have some other person's water in there?)
Yes.
Entry 4136
Yo' git in dat fo'ks of de road an' yo' pee, jis' so many fo'ks as dere is in dat road yo' pee, an' turn backwards an' walk backwards out dat road, Dat's all yo' got'a do. Yo' stop dem an' dey can't go nowhere. (Who can't go' nowhere?) Whosomevah yo' wan'a - anybody, yo' or me or anybody. Yo' see, dey cain't move - DEY CAIN'T "GEE" AN' DEY CAIN'T "HAW". [To haw and gee (about) is to lead this way and that at will, that is, the person cannot turn this way or that.] Yo' got 'em.
(What would be your purpose in going to this crossroad now?)
Go tuh de crossroad cuz ah wan'a stop 'em from walkin' - anywhere dey wan'a go. If ah wan'a stop 'em from goin' anywhere an' ah'm ag'ins' dem an' ah wan'a stop 'em, well ah'll stop 'em from goin'. Dey cain't gee an' dey cain't how.
Entry 4341
Dey take yuh urine an' dey put it in a bottle. Aftah dey put dat urine in a bottle, dey'll stop it up wit a rubbah cork [rubber cork is unusual]. Yuh'll stop dat bottle up wit a rubbah cork an' care [carry] it tuh de Mississippi, tuh de rivah yuh know - tuh any rivah where dere's runnin watah, so it only runnin' watah - an' throw it in dere. Dat'll stop yuh from urinatin'.