Subject:Sweat
Entries
Entry 1581
Sweat - frequently used in the form of soiled clothes for rites of love or bodily harm - does not occur often in cures or protection.] Well, jes' lak now yo' figure somebody dey done hurt chew or somepin an' yo' have pains, well yo' git up dat mornin' befo' sunrise an' git chew some water out de well an' drink it befo' it curify yo' know. An' yo' turn toward de east an' run yore hand down, yo' know, an' look toward the east an' spread yore hand - yo' know, smell yore hand an' look toward de west, look toward de north, an' look toward de south like that. While yo' doin' it an' smell yore hand jes' lak dat. Yo' won't have nary another pain.
(That will get rid of that pain?)
Yes sir.
[The implication without demonstration was sufficient for my comment:]
(You run your hands under your privates and smell them each time you look toward the four directions. And you should drink some of this water out of the well before what?) Befo' de sun rise, befo' it curify, yo' know. Draw it up an' drink it right den.
(Before it what? Curifies? What does that mean?)
Well, yo' know, dat means jes' lak yo' - jes' lak fresh water yo' know.
(While it is still fresh?)
Don't let it set no time - jes' draw it up an' drink it right den - dat's whut ah mean. [I think he is trying or means to say purifies = pure, fresh - don't let it stand. Water left standing overnight, for example, is dangerous (No. 76, p.32.)] (And after you drink that water, then you rub your hands between your legs and smell them and put them in the four directions.) Every time you look in a direction you turn an' smell yore hands an' look right straight up, yo' know.
(And that will take away any pain you have?)
Yes.
Entry 3279
Den yo' kin take anothah woman if yo' wanta make her love yo' - yo' see, yo' kin have dealin's wit 'er. In othah words, yo' wear yore hanscuff roun' yore neck all day long an' let it git good an' sweaty. An' when it git good an' sweaty, an' den yo' have dealin's wit dis woman, yo' take dat hanscuff an' wipe. An' den yo' take some watah an' yo' put dat hanscuff down in de watah an' squeeze it out. An' den yo' put dat in a bottle an' keep it in yore pocket all de time, an' she'll come to love yo' an' she wouldn't have no dealings wit no one else. See, all of dem t'ings [things] ah have, yo' know, sperienced [experienced] it - ah done it mahself.
(This handkerchief you use to wipe both yourself and her?)
Yourself an' her, an' den yo' put it in some water an' den you squeeze dat water out.
Entry 4297
Well, dere's some piece of yuh [a man's] clothes she kin git an' wash 'em tuhgethah wit hers, an' take de suds offa dat watah an' she kin stop it up in a bottle. An' she kin take a little bit of it, an' if she kin git a holt of a little bit of 'is urine, an' she kin git dat an' stop it up in dere, shut it up tight, purtty soon he'll come back.
Entry 4682
Dey kin take dat, take dat bow from mah hat, if anybody git holt of it, lak dat [shows his hat]. Yuh see, dere it's hot now. Yuh see ah'm sweatin'. Sit down dere, yuh undahstan', an' takin' a knife an' scrape it outa dere, jis' lak dat, an' take all dat dirt an' sweat out of dere tuhgethah, an' git it outa dere till dey git quite a nice bladeful. Git about a knifebladeful out de bow of de hat, yuh undahstan'. An' yuh take dat an' yuh go tuh work, yuh undahstan', an' go tuh a tree an' digs yuh a hole in dere. Gits yuh somepin othah tuh gouge yuh a hole in dat tree lak dat dere. An' den take dat knife an' wipe dat thing off on a li'le piece of rag, an' take an' shove it back in dere. An' git chew a stoppah, make yuh a peg tuh fit dat hole an' drive it in dere. Drive it in dere tight jis' lak dat. Yuh kill 'em, bash it - hit ovah 'is haid.
(That gives him a bad headache and kills him?)
Kill 'im.
Entry 4873
Take de socks befo' dey wuh washed an' put de socks in a box an' bury de socks. An' as de socks grow old an' bein' buried - as yuh will be cuz'd [caused] trouble in yuh feet, or yuh legs an' yuh dog luck [dog tired], or knees, see. Wha' choo might would call rheumatism, see. By some parts of wha' choo might call sweat tuh be buried in dat. Dat's some part from us, yuh see.
Entry 5240
Dey kin take - if yo've wore yore shoes an' got 'em good an' sweaty, dey git chure feet dirt from it an' de scent of yore feet lak dat. An' dey kin take dat an' weah it aroun' 'neath of dere waist an' thing lak dat, an' put some of dis oil of cedah in it, an' make de person follah dem an' ca' [care] mō' [more] fō' dem den dey do any- body else. Jis' lak dey would take dere hair outa dere haid... (You mean they wear it around their waist?). Right nex' tuh dere skin lak dis. An' dey puts it in a bandage an' puts it nex' tuh dere skin, an' put dat oil of cedah tuh it, an' weah it night an' day aroun' dere waist nex' tuh yore skin.
Entry 6027
If yo' kin git a stran' of hair out of a person's haid, out from de top of de haid, yo' git a stran' of dere hair. An' take dat an' git nine nee- dles an' nine pins, an' yo' git a piece of red flannel, an' git some lodestone, an yo' could git some of dere sweat - perspiration yo' know - on a piece of cloth, a bran'-new piece of cloth, an' put it in dere. Stick dem pins in dere, stick 'em cross dis way. Stick 'em cross lak dat [demonstrates].
(Like making a cross - X's.)
Dat's right. Stick dem pins in dat piece of cloth, if it don' be but jes' a small piece of it, jes' so it be's dat perspiration on it. An' yo' stick dem pins in dere an' lodestone an' dat anvil dust. Anvil dust keeps de lodestone live. An' put dat in dere an' put dat hair in dere in dat thing [cloth] an' sew it up [into a bag], an' yo' kin have a person most anywhere yo' want 'em.
(What do you do with that?)
Jes' carry it [bag or package] in yore pocket. Yo' carry it reg'lah fo'about eight or nine days, an' whenevah yo' takes it out of yore pocket, yo' put it ina real pahtic'lah place where no one will bothah it but chew. An' dat will rule a person.
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 6502
You can scrape the bottom of a person's feet, you see, aftah yo' sweat, an' dat's yer stren't'. An' if you scrape the bottom of a person's feet an' you buries it, well some people say to leave it stay buried about six months an' some about nine. Well, you begin to feel bad. Nuthin'll hurt you at all, but you just getting weak, they tell me, in your breath, an' you begin to feel bad until you just pines away to nuthin until yo' die.
Entry 7225
[This woman was called Humpadee [= Hwmpty] without the Dumpty because of her great size. As an unconscious defensive mechanism, she laughed from the moment she entered the room until she left. Hers was an agile mind. Later I would meet two women of similar size: A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE (No.1257) in Savannah, Ga., PP. 1268-1276, and THE LAUGHING DOCTOR (1125) of Waycross, Ga., Pp.1470-1500.] She kin take de milk outa huh breast an' when he come in fah [for] eatin' food, joo know, she jis' put dis right in 'is coffee or in 'is tea, an' make a wush [wish]. Well, afo' [= afore = before] she do it, she got tah take an' grease huh dis rag - listen at me good - grease huh dis rag in lahd [lard] w'ah [what] she cook wit. Den aftah greasin' in lahd, she gota rub it undah huh lef' ahm [arm]. Git all dat stench from undah 'eah [heah] wipe de cup wit it. Den aftah she wipe his cup out, den she milk 'uh breast in 'ere, jis' put so many drops
[number not given]. Dat'll make him love huh an' keep 'im dere [in her house]
too. [Richmond, Va., (404), 358:9.] [For 2 other rites of hers, see No.1338, p.453, and No.1711, p.521.]
Entry 8577
Yo' could take a silk stockin' dat anybody's used an' had dey sweat on it, an' go tuh de fo'k of de road at twelve a'clock at night an' bury it. Yo'll take a brand-new pocket han'ke'ch'ef, any kin' dat a person is got dat sweat on, an' yo' kin put dere name down wit it an' tie it up nine times, an' bury it right at de fo'k of dat road at de hours of twelve a'clock at night. (What will that do?) Whut dat do? Well, dat's if yo' wants tuh do a person harm. Yo': see, dat's whut dere sweat take, any- thing dat have been used. But chew kin git de new pocket han'ke'ch'ef, an' dey don' have tuh use it, an' git dere name an' yo' kin do 'em harm.
(You tie that handkerchief nine times.)
Yo' tie it nine times lak dis. Say fo' instance if dis is de han'ke'ch'ef. Well, if yo' wanta do anythin' an' yo' wanta do anybody harm, yo' don' bring it to yo', yo' bring it from yo'. See, an' evah time yo' tie it, lak yo' take de end of de pocket han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' tie it once. Yo' have dat one piece of papah dere wit de names on dere. Yo' take an' put anothah piece 'cross dat an yo' tie it ag'in, until yo' make dem nine. Git de han'ke'ch'ef big enough dat chew kin make dem nine knots. An' yo' buries hit. Nine pieces of papah wit de name on it.
(The name of the person on each piece of paper written once.)
See, until yo' put nine pieces of papah, an' each piece of papah wit de knot. An' yo' bury it.
Entry 8808
Oh, yes, dey kin take yore han'writin' so dey says. Take yore han'writin' an' drow it [see No.8836]. An' aftah dey git it, dey steam it, take it, some sort ovah steam, jes' lak yo' boilin' sompin, take it an' steam it. An' dey takes dat an' bury it. If yo' don' lak or yo' lak 'em - eithah one - dey kin take it an' git rid of yo' eithah way.
(If they don't like me what do they do with that?)
Well, if dey don't lak yo', yo' see, dey jes' git rid of yo'. If dey don' wanta kill yo', dey kin git rid of yo'. Jes' take it, yo' know, an' tie it up or burn it up.
(What will that do to you?)
Dat jes' throw yo' mind offa dem, so yo' don' care fo' dem.
Entry 8869
Handwriting is one of the easiest things to get if you want to harm any person, for the simple reason that your hand must press against the paper. THAT IS WHY I EMPHASIZED THE SWEAT AND THE OIL FROM THE SKIN IS THE EASIEST THING FOR "HOODOO" TO WORK WITH. I know a girl that got a letter Sith powder or something all over the letter and her hand shook like that, like she had nervous trouble, and they got a doctor for her. [Fredericksburg, Va., cylinder 54.]
Entry 8870
If a man leaves home an' a woman wants him back, dat's whut chew mean. Don't chew write him yo'self, but chew find out from some of yore personal friends. Git 'is personal friends tuh write him, jis' lak yo' know dey interested in hearin' from 'im. All right, she goin' take dat lettah, undahstan', an' den she goin' 'erself [put] some of 'erself intuh de lettah.
(What do you mean? What part of herself?)
She goin' put de sweat of 'erself.
(From her privates. All right.)
Yes sir, all right. She ain't goin' put it on de lettah, un'ahstan', she gon'a rub it in de envelope. See, if yo' rub it inside de envelope, it ain't gon'a har'ly [hardly] soil de lettah. He ain't gon'a notice it. He ain't gon'a teah [tear] dat envelope open, see. An' den he gon'a weah dat lettah, see, an' den 'is whole heart an' mind will fall right back tuh 'er, an' den he comin'. Yo' undahstan'.
Entry 8937
To keep a dog from interfering with you, take a piece of biscuit or a piece of bread and wear it under your arm, then take that to any man's house, no matter how bad his dog is, give him that piece of bread, any hour of the night, and he will eat it, and you can go there and he won't do anything.
Entry 8938
Yo' go an' git some - his [one of thief'sl han'ke'chef. Dat [handkerchief] chew wipe yer sweat wit, an' put some cologne on it. Wrop 'em [handkerchief] up tight. Wrop 'em up in yer han' an' dat will 'fect chew [the thief].
(Well, how can you do it, if you don't know who stole those articles?)
[Informant ignores or does not understand my question.]
An' when yo' go tuh dis court, yo' start tuh wipe yer face wit it.
(But what about the person that steals something from you?)
Well, dat would be de same.
(Well, how would you know that this is the person that stole it from you?)
Becuz he be roun' yo', he come tuh yo' an' pick talk wit chew, an' ast [ask] chew: Ain't chew lost sompin? Yo' say, Yes.
Entry 12342
Yo' take an' yo' gets a piece of cloth about four inches square each way, an' yo' take [he and she] lodestone an' mash it together. An' den yo' get yourself, take some of your own perspiration, yo' know, an put it in dere - dampen it. Yo' kin take de end of a piece of your own clothes an' put in dere an' fold it together. Fo' instance, if yo' got a piece of silver money, yo' kin take a piece of your sil- ver money an' put it in dere. It will be a piece about dat wide an' about dat high [very small size] an' yo' take dat an' sew it to de inside of yore under- clothes - under your arm, under your right arm. An' yo' wear dat dere fo' three days. An' yo' don't feel no 'fect from dat until de third day, an' den yo' be- gin to see it. Den after de third day yo' kin go in any gambling game or any kind of winning game yo' wanta, an' yo'll win money.
Entry 12932
Ah knows dat's all right about de shoes. Jes' say if yo' an' a woman wus in love tuhgether, an' by some means dat chew think dat dis woman is not de right woman fo' yo', an' yo' wants tuh git loose from her, yo' put on yore shoes an' jes' git out an' valk. Walk fast. Yo' know dat chure feet will perspire but not smelly. Pull den shoe off an' po' some wine in 'em an' drink dat wine. Dat'll separate yo' an' her. [For another drinking-out-of-shoe rite, see 12896, p.4412.
Entry 13283
Ah have heard a story of where a lady take a biscuit, yo' know, an' wear it undah her arm, jes' fo' de night ovah [overnight] an' take it an' crumb it up in a platter. Den put it in a buscuit dough an' feed her husban' with dat. Make him stay home.
(Wear it under the arm?)
Unah her arm.
(Under her left arm?)
[This is not a leading question. I merely restart maching to add a statement. Many examples in HOODOO.]
(And she will mix it into what?)
Mix it into othah flour dough, lak when she git ready to make her biscuit... (Just take an old cold biscuit and wear it under her arm...)
Entry 13284
If yo' girl fren' happen to leave yo' lak dat, yo' jest follow her fo' a couple of days - follow her up, den yo' go to de drug store an' git chew some of dis heah Beechnut Gum [trade name chewing-gum]. Get some Beechnut Gum an' take it. Yo' take dat gum an' roll it up in yore hand jest lak dis heah [demonstrates]. Roll it up an' wear it to yo' - close to yore skin. Wear it dere an' jest sometime yo' be talkin' - talk- in' 'long wit her. Well yo' say, "Well, have some of dis heah." Break it off a piece an' jest give her a piece of it. An' den yo' natchly [naturally] goin' tuh co't her an' yo' git her back in a minute.
Entry 200
If you say something to someone and they don't like it, they can see a hoodoo doctor and he has some kind of an animal. And while you are asleep, the animal will just roll all over you. If you try to wake up, you'll cough or sneeze or something, and that'll make you go back to sleep again. He'll just roll on you until you break out into a sweat he'll let you alone. [Here the doctor has taken over the hag's prerogatives with a difference. Since he himself is unable to go or prefers not to, he sends an assistant - an animal. For the great master of animal assistants, see margin-title Doctor Buzzard of Beaufort; for the hag, see subsection later.]
Entry 2318
(This is for shooting dice?)
Yessuh. Ah'd take 'em an' ah'd wear 'em fo' 'bout nine days right between mah laigs where ah sweat in. Wear 'em till dey git kinda slick an' ah take 'em out an' put 'em in mah pocket, an' dat would make me lucky.
Entry 633
[Doctor J. D. Buzzard of Norfolk (see Index), whom I interviewed, has patient hold a magic crystal in the palm of his hand; if the hand sweats, he has been tricked. The Crystal Ball rite previously given in this subsection is some- thing quite different. Norfolk, Va., (464), 453: l; original text misplaced or lost.]
Entry 11478
FOOT TRACKS ALONE - for this special collection of hand-and-foot rites in CHANNEL DE WORLD - begins here. Foot track itself is an amazing part of HOODO0, occupying pages 2818-2937 in volume 4! Even this does not include those foot-track rites in the 1 1/2 volumes of interviews, or those rites where foot- track is not the principal ingredient. Finally, we must always remember that foot track originally was not the track of a shoe but a footprint of the bare foot containing perspiration and odor: "Take it [a person's foot track] and stop it up in a bottle and they tell me it'll kill you." [I would say this was a fast death rather than a slow death - these terms from HOODOO. A note of mine reads: After I asked (informant) which track, he said right. Do not use specification. In other words, if informant does not mention right or left, the choice is unimportant.] [Wilmington 202:3+ 85.]
Entry 1328
He used black gunpowder, and ah know ah was chafed in here and he tole me, he says, "I'm goin' fix you up something," says, "and I'm goin' tell you what I'm goin' put in it and then I'm going let you see." He says, "Now, you get me a half pint of whiskey." And I got the whiskey and carried it to him. He says, "Now, you see this ain't anything but black gunpowder." And he took that gun- powder and emptied the gunpowder into the whiskey and he shook it up right well, and he anointed me down there and all the way across and then, after that - after he anointed me, he gave me a little bag and he had asafitidee, bluestone and gun- powder in de bag. He said, "Now, you wear this bag next to your skin." And ah took the bag and ah put it on me. And, he says, '"And every morning and every evening," he say, "you anoint yourself with this gunpowder and whiskey." And I used this gunpowder and whiskey. And he says, "And you husband - you goin' get rid of your husband." And he was going to kill my husband for me and I didn't know it, you know, with this little bag he give me to wear. And so after mah husband got sick and stayed sick so long - you know how you kin just dream things. In fact, don't nothing else. I always dream things. And I just saw where my husband going to die, and something told me to pull that bag off and throw it in some running water. And I did, and after I throwed the bag away, then my husband got well. But that gunpowder and whiskey forever kept me from chafing and I haven't never chafed since.
(What caused the chafing?)
I don't know. I imagine just perspire or something - don't know what it was.
(Do you think that somebody did something to you for the chafing or what?)
Ah didn't know - that's why I went to somebody that I thought would know.
(I see. You went to a root doctor?)
Ah think so.
Entry 1773
Well, yo' kin take a black pullet - ah ain't done dese things, ah'm tellin' yo' whut ah heard about dem. Yo' kin take a black pullet - well yo' kin kill 'im an' git his gizzard out dere, an' yo' know dat skin in dere whut yo' peels off, yo' take dat skin an' sprinkle some salt an' black peppah on it, an' sew it up dere in a little rag an' wear it next to yo' skin an' sweat it through, an' dat'll make yo' lucky.
(Lucky for what - anything in particular?)
Yes sir, in most anything. [Every statement made by this informant ended, "Ah ain't done dese things."]
Entry 7100
Dese shorts whut he weah, yo' know, is real sweaty an' musty yo' know, an' when she asleep, lay 'em right by 'er nose where she kin inhale de scent, an' she wouldn't nevah wake up till he came back. [St. Petersburg, Fla., (1007). 1627:9.]
Entry 7203
All right, a man take an' do wit a woman de same way. A man cut de seat, a piece where she sweat undah here, undah de ahm. (Under her arm. Both arms or just one?) Both ahms. All right, he takes dat an' he puts some li'le roots in dat - some kinda li'le roots.
(Do you know the name of those roots?)
Dey put - whut's de name of dat root now? Some kinda - devil's-shoestring. Cut dem tuh be short. See, dem shoestring dat long [demonstrates].
(The devil's-shoestrings about three feet long?)
Yes, sir, some is dis long. Some is long accordin' as jis' how much yo' take out de groun' an' dey will pop off.
(You cut them about an inch or two inches long?)
Yes, sir, dat much off see. An' yo' put 'em in de bottle. Well, dat's tuh keep 'em at home. Dat's tuh make a woman dat run about tuh dance an' shows, lak dat, run aroun' lak dat, dat keep 'em home. De mō' [more] he feed dat bottle, dat keep 'er down. If - he don' do it tuh kill 'er, yo' know, jis' tuh keep 'er home.
(And what does he feed that bottle with?)
With cologne.
(And where do you keep this bottle?)
Keep it in 'is pocket. Yo' don't bury dat, keep it in 'is pocket. (That all he puts in there, these pieces of her clothing and the devil's-shoe- string?) Yes sir, an' he shake dat bottle up, yo' know. Yo' see, de man [the doctor] tell 'im tuh shake it up, an' feed it. Feed it an' put it back in 'is pocket. Don' put it in nobody's hand. Keep it in 'is pocket jis' a small ole cologne bottle.
Entry 6331
I've heard dey kin git some of dere sweaty clo's an' take de dirty watah from dere clo's. An' dey use dat like dey use in a bottle. An' git some mol' offa his hair [hair from the mold of the head] an' put it in theah, an' some bah'k [bark] offa [birch] tree. An' put dat [bottle] tuh floatin'. An' dey say dat'll run 'im crazy.
Entry 6357
Ah've heard dat dey kin take dat hair an' sew it intuh de bindin' of dey clothes. It mo' lak gittin' yore nature if dey keep dat hair sewed intuh de bindin' of dey clothes an' it become sweaty wit de nature of yo'. Den yo' kin come mo' lak managin' dat person. An' den ag'in yo' kin weah it [hair] in de bottom of yore shoe. Weah it in yore shoe an' walk on it an' dat person will nevah become a enemy of yo', becuz yo' got 'em undah yore feet.
Entry 632
This fellow [root doctor] you're going to see now, said my brother-in- law was hurt - he gave him a root to put in his hand and hold it right tight, and when he opened his hand his hand was sweated, and he said, "You're hurt." He got some mullein roots, pine tops, cedar berries and put them in a pot and a pint of water and kept adding to it as it boiled down [magic rite of increasing amount]. He put in a ten-cent piece and boiled it with it. "Now," he said, "you take that drink and you'll get well." He never got well. What really was his trouble, he had bladder trouble inwardly. He couldn't urine because something went right to the tube of his bladder and stopped it and caused agony all over his system. When he would go to make water his feet would dance up and down on the floor, just like that. This fellow was working on him but he was never able to cure him. His father Was good [a good root doctor] but he's dead. He [the so-called root doctor I was going to see] don't know anything about it. They had to operate on him [the brother-in-law]. The root they principally use is called the black pip- pip-away[?]. They take that root and hold it in their hand and the hand would sweat. That's an evidence something has effected you, somebody has done some- thing to you. If your hand didn't sweat, you wasn't effected then. It looks more like a piece of snakeroot than anything else.
Entry 928
This is the real truth but I'm goin' tell you. When I was livin' in Florida, it's been eight chears ago [1929] I was goin' with a man. You see there's another ole woman wanted to go with the same man. An' I was workin' out but she weren't. An' I'd go to my work in the mornin' - I knew she wanted to go with him a long time before she did this - an' I would go to work ev'ry mornin' an' I always git back home in time for five o'clock. So she lived out in the country an' I lived kin'a in town. So she came in town one day: The train comes in there at Jl:30, see. An' I was workin' but I went home that afternoon about five o'clock an', as a general thing, I went an' I put my right foot upon the steps first [for luck], you see, an' after I got in the house I went on in the house an' put down my packages you know, then I begin to feel sick, an' I begin to spit foam an' white spit, an' it jis' went all over, you see, an' I set there an' I say, "I wonder what's the matter with me." An' I had a brother-in-law there an' he says, "Sister, wha' choo been eatin'?" I said, "Not a thing. I haven't even eaten any dinner [noonday meal]." So he come in there to see if there's nothin' wrong. I kep' a-spittin' that foam an' spit you see. I say, "I believe I'll lie down but first I'm goin' have a drink of water." Then I went an' lied down an' when I lied down the more that foam an' spit would come out of my mouth an' I'd have to spit. So I got up an' I said, "Bert, I feel like I have to leave you." I went to go down de front steps back out to go roun' the house [to the toliet] an' I jis' tumble - jis' my head was jis' [demonstrates] goin' over and over like that. I sort'a had to hold it up you know to keep from fallin'. An' I [came back and] went on into the house an' there wouldn't be a thing but that foam an' spit. So he went an' got a doctor - he got a medical doctor, see. The doctor come. He says, "Why, what's the matter with you - what choo been eatin'?" I said, "Nothin'." He thought - he sayed it might'a been a kin'a indigestion. I said, "I haven't eaten anything." So he give me some medicine; he give me some black froth [= black draft see Index]. First, he give me a dose of Epsom salts. But it got worse. I couldn't eat an' I couldn't keep settin' up alone. So then my brother-in-law say, "Well, I'll tell you, sister," he say, "suppose we try a root doctor." I said, "Well," I said, "anything you think you kin do." That was the next day. So he goes an' gits a root doctor. He's up there about East Palatka, Florida. An' so he got a man to take him up there. They got back that night. He came in an' immediately say, "This woman," he said instantly, "she's hurt." He [brother-in-law] say, "You think so?" He say, "No, I know." He sayed. "Now, let me tell you what choo do." He say, You go there an' you dig under her front steps tomorrow mornin' - the first thing.you go there an' dig." Well, I got along that night - he say, "After you git what's under them steps," he said, "then I'll tell what to do." He [brother-in-law?] went out there the next mornin' an' dug under there an' they got a pint bottle - a pint flask with corn whiskey [often means moonshine whiskey, white] in it an' that had frogs in it. He sayed there were frogs. He stayed around there till they got that bottle - had frogs in it an' lizards. Well, after they got the bottle out, then my leg would start funny - it would grab me like that, llke somepin crawlin' up my leg. It would get up almost to my knee an' then there would be a big knot, jis' like that - you could see that thing with the blood in it.
(What leg was this?)
The right one [she had stepped upon the steps with her right leg first]. Listen good. He sayed, "Now, I'm goin' tell yah what choo do." He: say, "You po' this whiskey off of 'em, you take these things an' burn 'em. He say, "Then, if you kin," says, "you try it," he say, "I know you kin becuz it's right on the railroad" - you see, down in Florida an' the train was always killin' cattle, you see - "an' you go down there an' you kill a buzzard [round the dead cattle]," he say, "it's against the law to kill [a buzzard] but if somebody killed one, you come back, you boil that buzzard, an' you give 'er a cup of that buzzard tea." Oh, it smells horrible! But I wanted to git well. An' then I would drink a cupful an' bathe that whole leg down with it choo know.
(Don't you bathe it up?)
No, he bathed down right on out de toe; told me to bathe right on out de toe. An' take that stuff after I bathed with it, you know, an' throw it north. An' then after that he sayed, "Well, I'm goin' try to cure you. I had four patients like this. They were in terrible condition." An' he did that with that buzzard water in that bucket for two or three days. Then he changed from that an' give me a pint bottle - he put sulphur in it an' whiskey, pure corn whiskey. An' I had to shake that up an' take a tablespoonful of that three times a day. Well, I got better - that spittin' up that foam an' stuff, you see. An' I felt good. Ev'ry day I'd feel all right. I'd go on with my own work till about time for that same - that train would come - the same she come on it that day at 11:30 - I begin to feel bad.
(Why did you feel bad when that train came?)
Oh, that the train she come on to put that devilment down, you see. An' ev'ry day when that ll:30 train come along I begin to feel bad an' I had to go to bed. Well, I - it was in summertime you see, an' I had to put on all the clothes an all the bedclothes they kin git an' put on me. An' the perspiration an' sweat would jis' roll off. An' when that train go back that she went [back] on at 5:30, I'd git all right. I'd git right out de bed - could git out de bed an' do my work. [For knot on head going and coming by time, see p.270.] Well, then I got well, I kep' takin' that sulphur an' whiskey what he told me. Then he fixed another dose [prescription] of red pepper and soda and vinegar in a bottle an' drinked that. He told me to take a swallah [of] dat ever' now an' then when I begin to feel bad an' boil all the water I drink. An' then he told me to lay hot poultices on that leg, an' ev'ry time it begin to pain to put that hot poultice of [corn] meal an' real hot pepper, an' they'd bind that to it. An' from then I began to feel better. [Wilmington, N. Car., (300), 225:3; at Burnell, Fla.,1934; the doctor charging $25.00.]
Entry 1580
Take a swamproot. (Swamproot.) Yes, your back is weak and that strengthen your back. If you is not no breedin' woman, that'll make you breed. And they say you can take ginger root. Have you ever heard of that? And you can take ginger root, if you breedin' and done got caught - well, you can take ginger root and that makes you have a miss, you see. A hot, hot tea and you drink it at bedtime, and you get into bed and cover up and that begins to make your blood hot and you begin to sweat, and then the next morning everything there what you looking for.
Entry 1749
She takes an' cut dat little bow out of de back of a man's hat, any- thing, an' she puts her urine, her water, in a bottle too. An' she gits a strand of yore hair if she can. If she can't git it, why den dat bow will do de same, cause it come from de back of yore haid an' yo' been wearin' it an' sweat. Jes' 'long as she gits somepin 'bout chew. An' she take an' put that in a bottle an a lil peppah, an' den wrap it up in a flannen cloth an' keep it in de flannen cloth an' carry it roun' with her, somewhere roun' 'bout her waist. An' yo' cain't git away.
Entry 1780
All right. You take and you make a real coffin, but a small one - you know, a small coffin. You can make a big one too, but it would be unnecessary if it was big. Say, for instance, they really want to harm you. They can make a Coffin, well, say, about the size of this here - the top of this thing here [my recording machine]. Make a coffin fust about that size. They could bury you in that coffin.
(How would they do that?)
Now, they take that and they'll go to the graveyard, see. They get what we call graveyard dust, you know. They get this dirt, see, off of the tomb. They come back and they spread that into this coffin that I've made - I spread it into that. If I can get anything that you sweated in - if it's your socks, the band of your hat, your underwear, anything that you sweat into - I gets that and I put that in there, now, and when I put that in this thing, I'm going to put a cross in there and I put that cross in there.
(What kind of a cross?)
A cross - a real cross.
(A wooden cross?)
I can buy one. You see, I can buy crosses to put there - if it's a brass one, I'll put it in there, I'll put it into this coffin.
(What will that do?)
I'm going to put more dirt in there, you see. Now, I'm got that hatband or your socks or underwear in there, and I'm got that laying on top of that dirt, and I'm got the cross in there. I'm going to put more dirt on top of that. Now, I'll put that dirt on top of that and I'm going to take and I'm going to get salt and I'm going to sprinkle that salt in the four corners of the coffin. Then I'm going to carry this coffin and bury this coffin. I bury this coffin and if I know your name, I'm going to bury this coffin and put your name on top of it. But I'm going to put your name down on this coffin in red letters, but I'm going to put 'em, put your name down just about that big - just about that big, so it'll take a little time for it to come off, you see. And as your name wears out and that sweat is drying up - that sweat ain't going to dry right away because - your clothes I mean that's in there, they ain't going to dry right away because that dust going to keep 'em damp. But as this name be wearing out, that piece - well, I take [took] it from you - it's drying. Now as that's drying, you drying too. And now when that dries, if you don't die that day, you'll die sure that next day, because if that paint dry today, if you don't die today, you'll be dead in the morning.
Entry 2090
Well, now de beginnin' of dis first story is tuh git his shirt, his sweaty shirt - jes' lak yo' go out dere an' work. An' yo' git de sweat outa dat shirt an' de strength is in dat shirt. Not no one man's strength is de same - de're [dey are] not alike. An' not no one man's taste is de same. Yo' take dis shirt an' mix it wit magie control powder, but git de powder jes' de color of him an' yo' put it into some box - jes' lak into a box there. An' hit'll grow. Yo' know, magic will grow - magic lodestone an' steel dust. An' jes' as that grow, why he'll go. He won't stay no one place. He won't even stop tuh tell yo' [good-by when he leaves].
(You must put this magic steel dust and what else?)
An' controllin' powder but git de powder de color of him. (In addition to that controlling powder, you take steel dust and lodestone, and put it in this shirt and then put the shirt away?) Yeah, put dat shirt away.
(That is to get rid of him - to make him move?)
Yes. ["Beginning second trip to New Orleans, La., Wed., Feb.14, 1940 [[four persons were interviewed and then came]] 1562 - man - works Crackerjack Drug Store [[see Index]] - Ida Bates [[meaning he was brought or sent by Ida Bates Whose interview will be given in the Interviews section]]" - Numbers Book 1558- 1605. A note on the present text reads, "He became a sort of contact man."]
Entry 2313
Wild cherry white - it's a root, an' you take that an' you tie it up in a piece of cloth [this is a tied-up hand], an' then you keep in your pocket, your right-hand pocket. They say you jis' squeeze that jis' ever' once in a while, it'll be right hot, choo know. An' you squeeze it until your hands go to sweatin', an' you could tell if any- body got anything against you, about takin' [stealing] anything from you, any- thing like that.
(How can you tell?)
Well, you squeeze it an' your hands go to sweatin', you know; an' de same person that you figurin' on goin' to do that, you have him on your mind whilst you do the squeezin - see, then your hand go to sweatin'.
Entry 2319
Fo' luck in gamblin' yo' go in de woods, an' it's a weed dat chew git in de woods it has a little yellah flower. Some people call it candyweed, an' some of 'em call it peppermint, but it's real sweet - de root, when yo' pull it up. De flower ain't got no scent 'tall, but yo' pull hit up hit got a sweet root. Now yo' put dat Heart Cologne an' yo' rub it in yore hand an' go amongst de people in de game. An' then yo' kin take salt, table salt, an' yo' rub it in yore hands until yore hands sweat from rubbin' that way. Why den, if it's necessary, yo' go into a game; but if yo' don't sweat, why den don't go into de game 'cause yore luck is not on.
Entry 2765
[The preceding informant, No. 820, continues with another account of Madam Helen.] I had a friend of mine, he went over to this same woman - Madam Helen. And she claimed that this woman had 'im tied up so that he couldn't get hisself right to do with no other woman. She told him, "Well," she say, "I can fix you up." She told him, she say, "Look, you go home and you get your wife and you play with her." She say, "You be playing with her and you feel around her waist and if she gets anyways suspicion, just continue on playing but never go right on to the spot. You finally," she say, "you run you' hand around until you find it, and you take and you break it off of her."
(That string?)
Yeah. "Break that string off of her, '' she say, "and bring me that string." She say, "And when you bring me that string," she say, "after you bring me that string, I can take that string and I can work her in a Way that she'll take and throw that stuff out." Well, this string has got her sweat on it - her perspiration, you see. Well, he takes that string off and he takes the string over to Madam Helen, and he brought it over to Madam Helen and exactly what she did with it, I couldn't say what she did with it. But anyhow, this woman when he came back.
(She kept the string?)
She kept the string.
(You don't know what she did with the string?)
What she did with the string, I don't know.
(What did she tell him to do?)
She told him to go home and before she say anything to him to bleed her head. [To draw blood is a well-known device against witches - see Nos. 485-487, p.148, and Index.]
(I see, her forehead.)
Yeah, bleed her.
(Yes, get some blood from her head, draw some blood.)
Yeah. And if he bleed her, it's no more harn can come to him. And he come home, and no sooner 'n he got in the house - he was sneaking in the house before she could see him - bopped her on the head and cut it. He cut it and he was all right after that.
Entry 3281
To keep a man away from yore wife, yo' git yore wife's undahshirt - see, like yo' goin' to leave [town]. Yo' git de sweat of 'er shirt. Yo' take de shirt an' yo' wrap dis shirt up an' carry it wit yo'. See, yo' carry dis shirt wit yo'. Yo' take it an' make a package wit it. Undah- stan'? An' yo' take yo' some sugah an' cinna- mon an' oil of clovah [3 ingredients], yo' see, an' yo' mix it up in dat. An yo' put dat in dat package, an' when yo' sleepin' yo' sleep on dat. An' ah bet yo' she won't worry 'bout no man, while yo' are gone.
Entry 4499
Well, if yuh've taken a bath in watah. Yuh see, when yuh bath yuhself, dat gets a certaln portion of yuh body off - dat perspiration of yuh body, see. Yuh washes off in dat. Dey take dat watah an' dey will stop it up in a bottle, yuh see. Well, it's quite natchal [natural] dat watah will sour, yuh see. Den dey take some sugah an' dey sweeten dat watah. Well, anything dat yuh sweeten will create an asick [acid] right away, yuh see. Dey take an' put dat in a bottle. Dey stop it up, see. Aftah dey stops it up, dey sets dat bottle upside down, yuh undahstan'. Evah once in awhile dey go in an' dey shake dat up. Dat shakes dat asick up in dat bottle, yuh see. An' when dey shakes dat asick up in dat bottle, dat starts yuh tuh burnin' an' eetchin' [itch- ing] all ovah, yuh see, an' yuh can't be peaceful nowheres. Yuh can't rest, it keep yuh tormented all de time.
Entry 4557
Yuh kin take dat bow from de back of 'is hat, one dat he done wore - de sweat in it chew undahstan'. Yuh kin take dat an' jes' keep it in de seat of yore bloomahs all de time. Jes' pin it in dere an' wear it in dere an' dat will always keep 'im wit chew. Dat's all yuh gotta do, jes' wear it in dere all de TIME. AN' EVAH TIME YUH CHANGE A PAIR OF PANTS, YUH JES PUT IT RIGHT BACK IN.
Entry 4714
She used it tuh bring 'er man back. Heah's whut she does. She eithah take a piece of undahshirt where he sweats undah heah, undah de lef' arm. An' she takes dat an' balls it up in a knot an' dress it wit Hearts Cologne an' buries it undah de step. An' usely [usually] he comes back.
Entry 4716
Take an' cut yore sleeve whut chew sweat undahneat' chure arms. She'll take dat an' she'll mix it wit 'er undahweah - yo' see, wit de seat of 'er undah- weah yo' know an' ties it up, see. An' she'll weah it, see. Dat's one way.
(To bring him back.)
He be worried about her all de time.
Entry 4726
Anywhere dey bury yore clothes at, DE SWEAT OF YORE CLOTHES, dat is goin' tuh make yuh wondah [wander] dere. Yuh goin' tuh wondah tuh dat place, see.
(Well, why would they bury those clothes out at the railroad track?)
Well, dat if dey want tuh git yuh out dere tuh kill yuh.
(Get you out there to kill you?)
Yuh see, if dey want tuh git yuh out dere tuh kill yuh, see, dey bury yuh out dere like dey want tuh git yuh out dere. Now, like if yuh de person an' yuh goes out dere where dey done got yore clothes, dey goin' tuh git yuh out dere so dey kin knock yuh in de haid or kill yuh.
Entry 4762
If yuh leave home an' she got yore undahclothes, de sweat of yore clothes - co'se she got it. When it's clean, she cain't do nuthin wit it. But if she got de sweat off yore clothes, yore undahsuit, she put it between de two mattress. She spread de suit out an' she lay on it - sleeps on it evah night, yuh see. An' yore sock, yore left-foot sock go dis way an' heel go dis way. An' yuh'll come back home.
(Well, how do you mean your "left-foot sock goes off this way?")
Yuh see, yuh put - yuh turn - yuh put a sock dis way an' de othah one dis way. Yuh see.
(You put one sock this way and?)
An' de othah one dataway, yeah. An' yore undahsuit spreads out jis' lak yuh were layin' in de baid. She sleep on dat.
(Where do you put the socks?)
The sock?
(Where does she put those socks?)
She puts 'em right up, lay 'em right at de bottom of yore foot.
(Oh, she puts them right at the bottom of your feet.)
Of the undahsuit, yes. An' dat'll bring - dat'll bring yuh back home. Yuh'll always be stayin' by home. (She puts one sock this way at the foot of the underwear, and the other one right here?) Dat's right.
(And puts them together like that.)
Entry 4876
Yuh take de socks when dey are soiled. Yuh git a person's soiled socks from dere feet when dey are real dirty. Yuh know how dey git when dey are dirty. Yuh git de sock an' yuh git de seats of dere undahweah, knitted undahweah. Or should dey wear any kind of one- piece undahweah, yuh git de seats of dis undahweah an'( dese socks. An' yuh roll 'em up tuhgethah wit de inside soles of de shoes, an' yuh bury dat undah yore steps or eithah put it in some secret place where dis person won't disturb it. Some people put it in de cornah of a mattress. But it's somepin dat chew know yuh are goin' tuh keep becuz, in moving, if yuh don' take dat up, yuh see, dat breaks a person up.
(Now, you take botn the socks.)
Both de socks. Yuh cut de sock off de foot. Den also de seats of de undah- weah. Co'se if dey have long sleeves yuh git de undaharms too. But yuh mus' nevah wash it. Yuh supposed tuh keep de perspiration in it.
relocating while preserving concealed soiled-clothing materials. Keep breaks a person up unresolved; do not invent death, relationship breakup or another precise result. These are attributed source occurrences; outcomes remain unverified.
Entry 4881
From a man's sock, cut de heel offa dat sock an' de toe. Yuh know, jis' lak yuh fold it back, an' yuh jis' fold it even wit de heel an' wit de toe. Yuh takes de heel an' de toe of 'is socks an' make yuh arm pads, an' put undah each one of yore arms an' weah it. As yuh sweat, his love will come tuh yuh, cuz de sweat from undah yore arms will draw 'is attention. An' yuh take de othah part of de heel an' put it right down at chure do' face wit de toe comin' in de house, an' he always will come dere. He nevah will stay away. (Let us get that straight: The part you wear under your arm, where does that come from the sock?) Yassuh, de part dat chew weah undah yore arm, dat comes from de heel of de sock. See, yuh leaves dat toe fo' tuh come inside de house wit. See, as yuh spread it jis' as yuh cut it - cuts dat heel off first. Yuh know a sock is double, double enough fo' yuh tuh make a pad fo' each one of yore arms, see, outa dat one sock. But it has tuh be de left-foot sock. An' yuh takes de toe of it an' tack it down. If yuh mean fo' him tuh not tuh go away or stay 'way from yuh, yuh takes dat toe part. It'll be 'bout dat long 'cordin' tuh whut size sock it is. An' yuh put a tack heah an' stretch dat sock as fur as it will go, aftah yuh done cut it, an' put a tack in de toe of it dere, as yuh come inside de do'. Nevah put de toe goin' out, but de toe comin' in. Yassuh, de toe mus' point in- tuh de house. If yuh has a rug, or anythin' whut chew got tuh de do', dat's a good hide fo' it, cain't nobody see it.
(You put two tacks, one in each end?)
Put fo' tacks.
(Two at the end of the toe and two at the other end?)
Dat's right. Two at de end of it - at dis end an' two right at de toe part. Dat's tuh stretch it yuh know, where it be strong always, see. An' it won't come a-loose. Well, yuh take dat an' put it down dere an' why, he cain't leave yuh. He cain't stay 'way from yuh.
Entry 4882
Weah de socks till dey git dirty, yuh know. Some people's feet sweats, what ah mean, yuh know. Well, till dey git dirty anyhow. Take dem socks an' put 'em in a pail a watah, dey says. Den don' wash 'em till dey soaks an' git dat dirt. An' take dem dirty suds an' put 'em in a bottle. Well, dere some mo' tuh go wit it. Put dat in a bot- tle. Den down undah yuh arm, yuhknow where yuh perspirate undah yuh arm, take dat an' yuh socks an' yuh rub. Git all dat watah tuhgethah. Yuh rub undah de shirtsleeve of yuh arm an' yuh socks. Den yuh put dat watah in a bottle an' dig undah yuh steps, an' put it undah de steps an' turn dat bottle bottom upwards. Well, dey do dat tuh keep yuh, jis' like if a person wants tuh keep yuh from goin' anywhere. Yuh kin go anywhere but chew comin' dere. Yuh goin' be always hangin' - if yuh go anywhere yuh goin' hurry back. Yuh can't stay away from home, yuh gotta come back.
Entry 4909
Git yuh a man's sock. Yuh kin take a man's sock, but it's got tuh be dirty, not clean. Yuh takes a dirty sock an' yuh take an' takes a tack, yuh see.
(A what?)
A tack.
(Like a little tack?)
Uh huh, an' yuh git at de back do', jis' like de man's comin' in de house. Well, yuh lets de foot, de toe part be comin' in de house, an' de part dat yuh put yore feet in, yuh let dat be out in de street. An' yuh tack one tack here, an' yuh tack anothah dere [demonstrates as I show later]. Well, dat brings, dat makes 'im stay home, yuh see, 'cuz dat dirty sock wit 'is sweat an' all [is] dere, an' dat makes 'im stay right at dat one spot. De onliest way he don't stay, he'll have tuh take dat up. But yuh see, by 'im not knowin' dat dat goin' tuh make him stay home, he don't nevah have no feelin' tuh go nowhere.
(I see. You put a tack at the top of that sock and a tack at the bottom.)
At de toe.
(And just where do you tack it now under the door?)
At de back step - see, at yore back do'.
(Is it under the step or what?)
Undah de step. Yuh jis' dig a little hole right up undah de step, yuh know, jis' push dat little bo'd right back where nobody can't see it. [For a good picture of back steps and their usual condition, see photograph at end of HOODOO, vol.1.]
(I see.)
An' yuh tack it right dere an' den covahs it up.
Entry 4945
Well, yuh takes women's socks - I hear talk of 'em doin' sich as dat, takin' de sweated part, yuh know, of de heel. A man take de sweated part of a woman's heel, of 'er sock, an' he take dat an' he weahs dat intuh his - puts dat undah dat little sole of 'is shoes. Yuh know, yuh know dis little slip [strip] dat be's inside of yore shoe [insole]. An' he puts dat undah dere an' he weahs dat undah 'is foot. Well, an' he weah dat sich a length of time. An' he double dat as many times as he kin git it.
(What do you mean double?)
He git dat sock twice, yuh see. Evah time he kin git one of 'em, git dat, an' cut dat heel part out an' put dat in 'is shoe. Why he keep 'er down den. He keep 'er undah 'is fingahs [feet would be better!]. Control - dat controls 'er all right enough.
Entry 4974
Well, now, if a man jis' wan' 'er, he take her sock an' wear it roun' 'is waist fo' nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' he'll take an' he'll uri- nate on it. An' he'll pass nex' tuh de house yuh know, an' drop it chew know. Well, now, see when she wear it she done got [his influence?]. See, she wash it. See, where he sweat in dat stockin', dat cause her tuh git all crazy about 'im. An' she'll follah 'im evahwhere he go out, an' ma'y [marry] 'im if he wanta ma'y her.
Entry 4975
Take a woman's stockin' whut she done dirtied, yuh know, wit sweat on lak dat yuh know.
(You take the woman's stocking?)
Yes, sir, wit de sweat on dere an' put it in de baid where yuh sleept. An' sleep on it an' dat will make her come back tuh yuh. An' tie it roun' yuh an' yuh sweat against it, an' dat will make her come back tuh yuh. (Both stockings?) One - don't need but one, eithah one.
Entry 5106
Git chure yore shoe while yore feets sweat - sweat up to de end of yore toes.
(What do they call that?)
Toe jam, toe jam. Yo' kin take dat shoe right down an' burn it an' dat will jes' give yo' a crazy mind. A mind wit - yo' wouldn't speak right no way. Yo' wouldn't talk right. Yo' wouldn't answer right. Yo' wouldn't act like a man dat had plenty sense. Yo' wouldn't.
Entry 5220
Den ah've heard dat dey kin take yore shoe an' scrape de bottom of it. Lak yore shoes is - lak yo' weah yore shoes tuhday. Well, if yo' foot atall sweat, dey kin take it an' pull it off an' scrape de inside of dat shoe, an' git dat dere dirt whut come outa yore foot. An' dey could bind dat dere up an' put intuh a place whereby it cain't ketch no air atall. An yo' cain't walk. Of co'se it cain't kill yo' - won' kill yo' - but yo' won' have no use fo' dat foot. Dat takes de use of it, when dey puts dat intuh a place where it cain't ketch no air. De way dat chew comprehend [overcome] dat is tuh bring de use back tuh yore foot. Git chew some sulphur an' red peppah an' weah it in de bottom of yore shoe an' dat will kill it. See, dat'll kill it in yore foot. Dat won' be no good while dey have it in dat airtight place. Dat 'air [= dere = there] is de way dey ovahcome dat devilment when dey works it.
Entry 6051
Take dat hair undah de arms when a man wanta tie a woman. Dey git de hair from undah a woman's arm an' dey put it in a little bag. Put it in de bag wit Hearts Cologne. An' when dey wear dat undah dere arm where dey per- spire an' let de two combine togethah. Well, dey gen'ly [generally] lak yo' sew it - yo' see, if it's thick undahwear. Dis woman nevah knows it. Well, see, when he's in de presence of dat woman an' she inhale dat cologne an' dat perspi- ration togethah, why she jes' fall fo' dat man in evah way. Dat hold's 'emclosah togethah.
(He doesn't put that in anything? In the urine or?)
[Informant probably had been speaking about urine before I turned on machine.]
No, jes' de scents off de body.
Entry 6324
Dere's three thin's dat yuh could use of dis person dat would cause 'a tuh do dat. Yuh could use his track or 'is hair or any part of 'is clothes dere's any sweat in, an' put it dere, an' 'is mind will jis' begin waverin', an' he won't go crazy nor it won' kill 'im. Yuh wrap it up in a piece of silk cloth a' take it down tuh de runnin' watah an' anchor it dere so it could move about en de watah's runnin'. [For anchoring hair in running water, see elsewhere f text.]
Entry 6613
Git a snake an' put a snake in yo'. Dey kin go ketch a snake an' kill it, cut 'is head off an' hang 'im on de limb [of a tree] by de tail. Tie a string aroun' 'is tail an' hang 'im up an' put a tin cup or tin plate undah 'im an' ketch 'is blood. Let 'im bleed in dat tin plate or tin cup, whutevah it is. Now dey take dat blood an' dey kin put dat blood intuh yore food or somepin tuh drink; or dey kin let dat blood dry until it comes jis' tuh a hard powdah. Dey kin sprinkle it in yore shoes. An' de perspiration from yore feet will such up de strength of dat blood an' cuz yore body tuh attract dat, an' it will go all through de body an' kill de body. An' it will be crawlin' jis' undah de skin, all about, mostly from de point where dey entered. Depends upon how long it is when it gits in de stomic an' come on up. An' he'll choke yo' tryin' tuh come on up.
Entry 6901
Anything wrong, yo' kin take some sweet milk an' heat it real hot, an' put some red cayenne peppah in it an' put some red pod peppah in it. An' scrape some silvah off de dime an' put in de glass, an' put some gun- powdahs in it, an' yo' drink it. An' when yo' drink it, jis' makes yo' bu'st out in a big sweat an' den yo' kin vomit it up.
(This poison?)
Yeah.
Entry 11023
jes' lak yo' have a sweetheart an' yo' want him tuh come tuh love yo' [want him to fall in love with you]. Yo' want him tuh come tuh love yo', yo' take an' draw de feathers out of dat cock's tail, an yo' press 'em three times in his hand. An' den yo' take his [dis?] hand [hand] an put it into yore right hand pocket an' look him dead in his eyes an' den kiss 'im, an' he will take sides with yo'.
(You take the feathers out of any cock's tail?)
Yes sir. [Surely the woman does not put the man's hand into her right pocket! She takes feathers, probably 3, from the rooster's tail and presses them into the man's hand 3 times to absorb his perspiration. The feathers themselves become a hand or jomo. This she puts into her own right pocket.]
Entry 11098
Wash man's right sock and sweaty places under arms of his clothes, bottle; keep, keeps him home. [Baltimore 47:3.]
Entry 12128
(What does she do?)
She gets some steel dust.
(And what does she take?)
The bow out of your hat. And she mix it with this bow and this steel dust together. And she put it right in the front of your hat thataway. She slips it back in there. See, when you perspire, why the steel dust will run with it and go into your eyes.
(What will that do?) Run you blind.
Entry 12665
(In that gambling game if somebody has a better charm than mine, could I kill this charm in any way?) Easy. Yo' kin kill this very easy, that is when yo' gambling. Yo' takes a little perfume in a bottle an' carry that with you. Yo' rub yours [gambling piece] in your hands. Yo' take that piece [gam- bling hand] off an' yo' rub it in your hands, put a little more perfume on it. Jes' have it so dey kin smell it, see, an' by yo' being perspiring yore odor is involved with it, an' that takes his [hand] too.
(That will kill his charm.)
Entry 12667
Well, dey say yo' kin take a silk han'ke'ch'ef an' rub it into a strand an' when she meets dis man, she kin continually take dat rag an' puttin' it 'bout his haid an' face, switchin' [swish- ing?] it ovah his face yo' know, an' sometime hit him cross de face wit it [dangerous for eyes] an' take dat rag an' wipe it undah her arms an' about her joints, an' git de perspiration of herself - an he won't have any desire fo' anothah woman.
(She takes this handkerchief and rolls it up into a strand, you say.)
An' den jes' wipe in undah her arms an' her joints.
(And then just waves it around him.)
Entry 12880
Dey take dese redhead scorpion. Ah know of a woman blind her husband dataway. Take a redhead scorpion an' git rid of yo' dataway, too. Take a red- head scorpion an' kill it. Put him out, yo' know, in de sun an' let hi git good an' dry. Dat head'll dry yo' know, it will git hard an' dry. Take an' beat it up fine an' it be like powder. Yo' know, mash it up. Den put it in de band of dere hat, like chew know around.
(Inside the band of the hat?)
Yes, dats right, an' yo' see dat sweat run down in dere eye. Blind 'en jes' as when yo' come in dis world.
Entry 12896
Now, if you want to divorce her - if you want to break this up - if you get on to [suspect] her - you are suspicious. [If you suspect she had you tied up, has made you sexually impotent.] Jis' go on, put you on you some clean socks, walk on to a beer joint - some place. (To a beer joint?) Yeah. Get you a bottle of beer and go on walking. Walk far enough where you begin to perspire and when your feet get hot and you perspire, stop and sit down. Take the left shoe off. Pour this bottle of beer in that left shoe. Drink the beer out of the shoe instead of the bottle. Close the bottle. Stand this way [demonstrates] and turn your hands [this way] and throw it [bottle] straight out in front of you, with your wish [that your impotence leaves]. It [potency] comes back again.
(I see.)
Yes, all the affection is taken away from her. (I see. Take this beer bottle in the left hand, then, you bring it around to the back of your neck.) Yes, that's right. And take that [bottle] in your right hand and throw right directly in front of you.)
(I see. And that breaks the spell of that string around her waist.)
Sure. Yes, sir. [My preceding comment is a good example of my using in- formation informant had given before researching began. Woman had "tied him up by measuring him with a string and tying it about her waist.]
(It should do it?)
Sure. I've seen it do it.
(I see, I see.) [The wish is the power!]
Entry 13091
(Yes, how the quarrel started.)
De first thing, he had a mule named Julia. When ah wuz a boy dey used to have gin house whut dey pull mill round tuh gin cotton. See. Dey didn't have dese steam gins den. Out in de country dey had eight mules to it [etc.], have de first mule heah, one on dat end, one ovah heah and one ovah dere, and den dey have two mules heah and two mules ovah dere an' ah used to dirve de mules. So his mule would bite cha an' so ah wouldn't carry his mule, so he whupped me be- cause ah wouldn't carry it fo' him. Him an' I - his boy an' I got in a fight - so ah whupped him. An' so he whupped me again.
(The father?)
Yassuh, de father - ole man Spencer whupped me. So we boys met him [son] one night an' - ah didn't hit him but ah mean de other boys [did]. An' so ah left mah cap at his house. An' mah uncle Winston tole me he'd taken dis [capl de shed of a rattlesnake and rubbed de band of mah hat [capl. An' when ah sweated...an when ah put it on mah haid, my eyes went an' ah ain't saw no mo' since.
(When did this happen?)
1904.
(And this happened up in Perry county?)
Dat's Perry County, Alabama, Scott Station.
(Got it dry and took this dust and put it in your hatband and made you blind?)
Yes.
Entry 13093
Well, they can take your clothes and they can take your hat. In oth- er words they can take your hat and they can put rattlesnake dust - you can buy it in this town - see, rat- tlesnake dust, and they can put it in your hat. And when you sweat in your hat, it makes you blind. (I see, I see.) [I heard little about selling snake dust to blind.]
Entry 13096
They take that bow outa your hat and burn it up in ashes, burn it in a plate and get the ashes, and then take some snake's head, any kind of snake's head, and just powder it up together, and put that in your hatband, and when you sueat, why that just run down, you know, in your forehead, and it finally get in your eyes and you go blind.
Entry 13099
Oh, dey'd run yo' crazy in a way wit it, wit de dust from a rattle- snake's rattles. Take de dust out of a rattlesnake's rattle an' put dat in dat bow or either sprinkle it inside of dey hat, an' if dey sweat from it, why it will run 'em blind. Ah know two-three blindin's heah today dat result of dat thing.
Entry 13101
Well, yo' kin take dat bow an' yo' kin put - if yo' kin git holt of some rattlesnake dust out of a rattlesnake's rattle an' put it in dat hat, it will run de man blind.
(Well, just how would it run him blind? How would it do that?)
Well, jes' a...yo' wearin' dat hat, while yo' wearin' dat hat yo' sweat, dat scum git in his [you] eye an' hit'll blind him [you].
Entry 13105
Dey put dust in your hat so you'll go blind. Accordin' you'll lose your hair. (What would they do? How would they use the dust that way? Have you any idea?) Well, they'll go ahead and, you know, dere's somepin dey calls dragon's blood dat you get from de drug store. You kin get dat ole dragon's blood from de drug store. You kin get dat ole dra- gon's blood from de drug store and you sprinkle it on de inside of your hat, an' a little small piece of dis ole snake's shed. Or place it in de binding of your cap or hat, somepin like dat. And when you begin to sweat den de effect will take on you, sometimes you'll go blind from it an' you taken wit de headache.
(It runs down into your eyes?)
Dat's de idea and cause you to go blind and you are taken wit de headache.
Entry 13236
That is only used in a drink. Now if you know a person is an ex- cessive drunkard, you know that you can always give them in something to drink- mostly using wine, or where eggnogs or cocktails are concerned. You get a little bag, a little new bag - linen or domestic white cloth, cotton. You put three tablespoons of sugar in this little bag and sew it up. You have seen a sachet bag. You make a sachet bag out of that and wear it under the arms, where you know nearly everyone will perspire under de arms. (Which arm do you wear it under?) Under the left. You wear that for nine days and then you take this and add it to the per- son - well, even if they drink coffee, you mix that in the coffee. But be sure that chew don't drink it, you see. [In hoodoo is is always dangerous to sample any of your own work!] But you'll put that in the sugar dish after you wear it, but if not, if they drink, you put it in their drink. That is the way that is done. [Despite this reference this rite continues as follows: Mobile, Ala.,
(650), 866:3.]
[The preceding account comes from a Mrs. Brady, a woman with great experience in the world I wanted to meet, she having sold curios, given advice to women in trouble, told fortunes, made hands, etc. In fact she became one of my helpers. Unfortunately my first day recordings were so bad I had everyone back for another session. Here is what she said the secone time - substantially the same, but of greater interest.] Git chew a piece of new domestic, any kind of new white cloth, and you make these little bags [as I said, she made hands]. You've seen little sachet bags. Put about three tablespoons of sugar in each one and sew it up, and then you pin it under the pits of the arms.
(Both arms?)
Sure.
(One under each arm.)
There are other people wear 'em other places but it's not so nice. They do that. But ah tell you it really does have a strange effect on people. Ah've seen things carried out like that - it really does. And then after they have worn that nine days, then it will absolutely do the work.
(Then what do they do with that?)
You put it in the coffee or in wine, anything that you have to use anything sweet in.
(And what will that do - hold them?)
It will hold them, influence them towards you.
Entry 9828
Yo' take de needles an' yo' git chew nine new needles an' yo' take yore bag, a li'l piece outa red flannen [flannel]. An' yo' take dis red flannen an' sew it jis' lak a li'l bag. Well, anythin' of 'is soiled clothes, whut he sweats, somepin nex' tuh 'is flesh. Well, yo' put dat in dis bag. An' now yo' take dose nine needles. Turn all de p'ints tuhgethah. Well, it's lak if ah know yo' room heah [in the home where I was interviewing]. Well, ah'll come roun' an' put dis heah anywhere inside. If dis is yore room, ah come an' put it in yore room, undah de room - yo' know, bury it. [In the South small lowland houses are built off the ground.] Well, [as] long as yo' stay dere - well, yo' not goin' stay dere much longah becuz, yo' know, when dose needles begin - yo' know, any needles dat's in de groun' where it's kinda wet, it's goin' tuh soon rust. Well, when dey rust, yo' gonna git gone.
Entry 4525
De' take de dust of a rattlesnake an' put it in a person's hat, an' when he sweat dat sweat rolls down towards 'is eyes an' it'll blind 'im. But it's nuthin'll do dat no good [there is no cure for it], if it's a rattlesnake.
Entry 4605
Take de bow from de back of a man's hat, dat is [if] a woman is got a sweetheart an' she don' wants tuh git rid of 'im. She takes dat bow from de back of 'is hat an' sews it in de seat of 'er clothes, an' wears dat bow. She wears dat bow in de seat of 'er clothes an' when he wears 'is hat so long till dat bow gits sweaty an' greasy, well she takes dat bow an' untie it, an' takes an' puts some of 'er hair wit it, an' sews it in de seat of 'er clothes, or up undah 'er arm where her clothes sweats, an' wears it.
(What will that do?)
Dat will keep 'im dere.
Entry 13423
All right, they'd get that war water powder.
(War water powder?)
Yeah, war water powder.
(All right.)
And put it underneath the sole of your shoe, that inner sole within your shoe. And you feet have to sweat - if you feet don't sweat, it don't do you anything.
(And what if your feet sweat?) If the feet sweat, it swell all up. (I see. The feet will swell up.)
[Cripples a person.]