Subject:Take
Entries
Entry 1826
(The people playing policy will play the number of the house where the man died?) Cer'inly does. If dey die in de night, dat next day dey iumps right on dat house an' play it de next day. Dey plays it fo' 'bout three or fo' months or somepin lak dat. (What do they call the numbers down here? Do they call it policy or bolito or what?) It's stock - dey call it stock. Dey don't play de policy, de play de [something] stock - de clearin' house stock.
Entry 2744
You've gotta know something about de Bible to do it. Comes from de devil, let it go on back [to him]. I would nevah try to do nothing to people and I wouldn't, and ah don't put no spells. De people come and dey says, "Well, could you put dis back." It don't work. Long as I git you well and work for yo' happiness, then it's all that's necessary. (Well, what sort of cure do you use? If I came to you and - had a spell put on me, what sort of a cure would you use?) Well, de first thing ah'd do - I heals, too. That's the next thing. The first thing I heals and then I use salt. Salt is used fer a thousand things that is good and bad. I puts this salt on a plate, saucer, then the party that's sick, I let them make a hole in dis salt wit de big finger [demonstrates].
(Of the left hand.)
Any hand but jest only dis finger - not de index finger, the middle finger. And then I repeats certain words from de Bible and let dem repeat after me and tell em - oh, yes, ah pour alcohol in it and let it burn, and de word dat dis light goes out on, it [sickness] stops right there. Then they must sleep over dis salt overnight. Then take it to the deep rivah and throw dis salt in de rivah and let it go. That watah running and dis salt will take away your con- ditions. Course dere's nothing you kin do fer nobody if they don't believe nothing. If a person don't believe nothing - nothing doin'. Becus if dey comes tuh me and if ah'm even jest goin'tuh heal dem ordinarily, ah says, If you don't be- lieve in God and you don't believe ah kin, ah don't wanta bother with you - no use using de energy:"' And then I always repeat certain words over a person when ah'm healin 'em.
(Are those words a secret? Or something you wouldn't want to tell me?)
"May it please thee, O Jehoges, to prosper" - I mean, "May it be thou most holy will, O El Mejah to heal de body and soul of dis person." You gotta call de mother's name and de person that you are healin'. "May it be thou most holy will, O El Mejah, to heal de body and soul of John or Susan, free 'em from plague and oppression."
(What were those words that you read out of the Bible? Were those secret?)
No, dat wouldn't be secret. It would be secret to people dat come to see me but not secret to persons dat knows - you know what I mean, if you understand. It's the loth Psalm of the Book of Moses. [We must remember here as well as everywhere in hoodoo, the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses - probably in a number of versions and under various names - is considered by believers to be a part of the Bible.] Dis one dat keeps running in mah mind is de Psalm dat you read three times befo' sunrise. Dat's de 4th Psalm. That is in order to accomplish things that you desire. There's a certain name, a certain spirit, that you call upon.
(Is this Psalm in the Bible or in the Book of Moses?)
Both - but de meanings is in de Book of Moses - Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses. The 10th Psalm - well dat Psalm whut you use fo' healing and removing conditions from a person.
(Do you use any other book in addition to Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses?)
You kin take and look in de Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses and find out whut to read, and den you go in yo' Bible and read it from yo' Bible. You go to the fo' corners Of the earth and you take nine new keys and you call the spirit of this person - nine keys and walk to the four corners and you call the spirit. Yo' go dere at midnight and you call de spirit of de person whut you Want and this person will come. You worry 'em - de spirit [identified later] will worry 'em. Yo' send out yore thoughts through dese new keys and that brings the person back that you desire to.
(You mean the spirit of the dead person back?)
[This also brings the spirit of a living person.]
Yes, because you are sending out a self-conscious mind and yo' sending out the Spirit forces to bring this one back what chew want.
(Why do you bring this person's spirit back?)
Why do you do it? Well, because you wanta see this person that's away. When you making charms you use sugar with Adam-and-Eve, tea, coffee and sugar, 'cause everybody likes sugar in dey coffee or sugar in dey tea, and you mix that three together in your charm. That's the onliest way ah knows.
(What is the charm for?)
The charm is fo' those things ah told you about while ago, but chew gotta put Adam-and-Eve in it. If Adam-and-Eve is in, it holds the two together close, the man and wife, or sweetheart and friend.
Entry 3321
Yo' take dis Lysol, dat whut woman douches [with].
(From the drug store, Lysol?)
Yes. De woman - now if a woman fix it up, she put a teaspoonful of it in a quart of watah an' douchin' wit it. Well, yo' [a man, if you can obtain this water] kin take dat watah an' carry it to a herb man. Well, he kin fix it so she can't fool wit nobody but chew. [Lysol is a trademark name for a solution of cresols in soap used as a disinfectant and antiseptic.]
Entry 3812
Go an' git a bran'-new brick dat has nevah been used, an' yo' put it in yore fire an' git it red-hot. While dat brick is heatin', he make him a pep- pah tea wid dese pod peppahs. Git nine pods an' make a peppah tea of it, an' he po' 'bout a ten-cent drink of likkah into dis an' drink it hot. Well, when he drink it hot, he urin- ate on dat brick - take it out an' urinate on dat brick, an' dat'll bring it back. Dat's one way. (That will restore his nature, his courage that has been tied up by some woman.) Yes.
Entry 4121
If yuh in love wit a woman an' cain't undahstan' it, an' yuh do' know why yuh love her - sompin lak dat - she given yuh some of 'er chamber lye. An' den [to free yourself] yuh taken yuh chamber lye, say nine mawnin's in suc- cessful [succession], yuh walk aroun' de house an' come back in, an' take a swallah yuh chamber lye. Dat'll kill de love fuh a woman who have ovahpowahed yuh. Yuh've seen men dat women jis' drag aroun', do' cāh [care] anythin' 'bout 'em, but dey cain't hep' dey- self. Well dey - dat whut makin' 'em [dragl. De woman put some of dat stuff, her monthly yo' might call [it, but here it is urine] intuh 'is coffee, yuh see.
[To be on the safe side, I fortunately summarize the rite.]
(Well, if this woman has used this chamber lye in his food, he can kill that by using his own chamber lye against hers. HE HAS TO TAKE A SWALLOW EVERY MORN- ING FOR NINE MORNINGS.) Fo' nine mawnin's tuh kill hers.
Entry 4891
Dey kin take you sock an' specially a dirty sock, an' dey kin take you sock an' jis' like a woman git ti'ed [tired] of 'er husban' an' wan'a sen' 'im away from 'er. She kin take an' bur' it on de south side of de house, de way she wan' 'im tuh go. [Or if] it's de north side de house, de [any] way she wan' 'im tuh go. An' some way dat dey put in some salt, dat she put in dis hole wuh [where] she bur's [buries] de sock fer three days. An' a certain numbah of days dat she perfer [prefer] fer 'im tuh go 'way, she'll take two fingahs [holding a pinch of salt] an' say if she wan"i tuh go in [how many] days. Den jis' drop nine times [drop 9 pinches of salt] in dat hole an' covah it up. Den in dat time he'll leave.
(How does she bury that sock?)
She jis' put it in ball [make a ball of it] fer three days, den she put it undah 'is baid. Take it out de [pronounce outd] groun', put it undah 'is baid at night, an' fer de certain numbah days dat she wan' 'im tuh go away. If it stay in de groun' three days, den dat make yuh have tuh take it out fer six days an' put it undah 'is baid. An' den take dem nine pinches of salt an' drop in dat hole. Well, if she wan' 'im tuh go east, she'll make dat hole [on the east side of the house]; if she wan' 'im tuh go west, she'll make dat hole [on the west side of the house].
Entry 5023
[There are a number of rites in which a woman asks a man for a dime or a piece of silver; the following one being quite complicated:] Do dat tuh make a man bring 'is money home. Well, yuh kin take a man's sock an' let 'im weah it an' yuh weah one of yore [stockings], de right-foot sock [and stocking]. Den yuh git a dime, a silvah dime from 'i, outa his han. Den yuh writes 'is name nine times tuh yuh. Write it nine times, write, "Ah want chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me an' don't cash yore check until yuh git it tuh me, '' nine times. Den yuh takes dat name an' dat silvah dime, dat he give yuh outa his han', an' yuh fold it nine times [demonstrates] an' yuh tell it whut chew Want it tuh do [demonstrates].
(You are folding it toward you, aren't you?)
Uh-huh. Yuh talk tuh it, yuh know, "Ah want chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me." Make dat nine folds on it tuh yuh. Den yuh take yore stockin' an' fold it. Yuh take dis dime yuh know an' de name yuh know, aftah yuh fix it up an' put it in de toe of 'is sock, his right-foot sock, his'n, whut he'd been weahin'. Den yuh take one of yores an' yuh write on dere mah name, an', "Ah Wants tuh be boss. Ah wan' chew tuh bring yore money home tuh me. Ah'm yore wife." or "yore girl fren', " or whut-not. Den yuh fold yore sock [stocking] tuh yuh [and say], "Ah'm goin' bring it home. "See, lak dat [demonstrates]. "Ah'm goin' bring it home." Den yuh puts de man's sock in yores. See, yuh wants dis, an' shet it inside lak dat. Den yuh buries it where he kin walk inan' ovah it. An' HE WON'T CASH 'IS CHECK.
Entry 5298
You can take their shoes and carry them down to the river at noontime and let the water run over them. Take them back and let them dry. On a full moon go down to this river, call, and keep calling them. And when they have them shoes on they'll walk into the river and drown them- selves.
Entry 5384
Ah've heard dat chew kin take de track, de lef'-foot track, an' read de 23rd chaptah of Psalms wit dat lef'-foot track. An' yo' take dat track an' yo' put it in front of yo'. See, put it on a piece of papah, a piece of brown papah. An' yo' stan' ovah dat track an' yo' read de 23rd chaptah of Psalms, see. An' in de direction, de way dat person go, at seven a'clock, yo' throw dat dirt lak dat. Dey gone. Den yo' read dat chap- tah ag'in de nex' mawnin' at seven a'clock, yo' see, an' yo' read it at noon. Yo' read it at seven at night de nex' evenin', afternoon [12 noon], yo' see. Dat's tuh drive yore enemies away from yo', if anybody's a enemy tuh yo' or any- thin' of de kind lak dat.
(Do you take that foot track up in any special way?)
Start at de toe an' git chew a shovel or some kinda sompin an' scoop it up lak dat, but take it all up [demonstrates].
(From the toe back to the heel.)
Yes. (After they have come to your house. Then after they have left, take up one of those tracks?) Yeah, take up one of those tracks. Or if dey'd apt tuh passin' or somepin othah - jes' anywhere dey have tuh walk in de dirt.
Entry 5427
Dey says dey kin take yore tracks - yo' know, jis' lak yo' git de dirt outa yore tracks, an' takes it tuh de fo'ks of a road. An' put it in de fo'ks of de road an' git chew tuh wandahin'. Dey put it right at de fo'ks of de road an' it put chew tuh wandahin' aroun'.
Entry 5428
Mah mothah says dat yo' could take a person's track, if yo' didn't wan' 'em roun' an' yo' wanted tuh run 'em away or somepin lak dat. Yo' could take his track an' take it tuh de fo'ks of dis road, an' throw it one way, an' directly de way yo' would throw dat track, why dey would go behin' dat track.
(You said you would take either track?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5430
Take dat foot track an' two aigs an' carry it tuh de fo'k of a road an' yo' bury it tuh de fo'k of de road jis' befo' sunrise, an' dat will make anybody come from fah [far] an' neah [near]. (Come to you, if you want them to come.) Want dem tuh come. Even in New York or Alabama or anywheres, if yo' wan' 'em tuh come. (You take one foot track or both of them or what? And what do you do with those two eggs?) Take de lef'-foot track. Take de two aigs an' de foot track an' bury it tuh de fo'k of de road.
(The left foot track. Do you break these eggs or what?)
No, yo' leave 'em jis' whole.
Entry 5432
If yo' wanted tuh do away wit anybody, run 'em off from yo', anyways lak dat, yo' would take de dirt outa - undah 'is lef' feet an' put it in a box, a tin box. An' carry it tuh dat fo'ks of de road, an' throw it ovah yore lef' shouldah in dat road an' say, "Go, tuh come no mo'." Dey say dat is a true thing fo' it.
(To run you away?)
Yes sir.
Entry 5438
Dey take yore track, yore right track, an' carry it in de graveyard an' name it aftah yo'. Call yore name, yo' know, tuh some of dose whut dey known in de graveyard whut's dead. Put it down side de person grave an' tell 'em tuh take dis track an' take dat person away from heah. [Wilmington, N. Car., (243), 165:14 0r 240:10.]
Entry 5460
Ah heard dat yo' could go tuh de graveyard fo' nine mawnin's an' each mawnin' dat chew go, yo' git chew jis' as much sand an' graveyard dirt as yo' kin hold in yore han', yo' see. An' yo' take dat on back home, an' yo' place dat nine points aroun' yore house, see. Den if it's somebody which yo' want tuh harm or sompin, if yo' git 'em tuh come dere, undahstan'. Well, aftah dey come dere, yo' pick up dey tracks yo' see, an' yo go tuh a tree an' pick yo' a hole in dere, an' take an' place dis graveyard dirt each mawnin'. Jis' lak yo' took it from de cemetery. Take it back an' stick it in dat hole, an' de last mawnin' yo' take an' close it up. Dey tell me dat run 'em crazy.
(Would you do anything with their tracks?)
Take dem tracks up, yo' see, an' put dat fo' nine mawnin's - see, yo' jis' put dat in dat hole whut yo picked in de tree. See. Den aftah yo' do dat, put dat graveyard dirt in dere an' stop it up. Say dat will run 'em crazy. (You put these tracks in the hole, then you pick up this graveyard dirt and you put that on top of the tracks?) On top of de tracks.
Entry 5532
Ah've heard dat dey kin git chure foot track an' measure yore foot track, an' take some of de dirt out de hollah of yore track, see. Den go tuh de graveyard aftah twelve o'clock an' git some de dirt from de heart, about de heart, an' from de head an' from de foot [3 places]. An' mix it wit dat dirt whut dey took out of yore track. An' march aroun' dat grave fo' times, firs'. Den come back an' march aroun' it ag'in five, six, seven. De seven is de uneven numbah. March roun' dat seven times. Den take dat dirt whut dey got wit de graveyard dirt outen yore track, an' go an' mix it tuhgethah, an' boil it in salt an' water an' lime. Throw dat in salt, watah an' lime. Den dey will take dat an' sprinkle it wherevah yo' gotta go, where yo' cross ovah at, if it's yore doorstep or some path yo' go. If yo' in a car, why dey'd sprinkle it aroun yore car - sompin like dat - an' dat will do yo' harm. See, when yo' git in dere, yo'll be painful an' cain't rest, an' have no min' tuh stay at home - only be goin' all de time. (NOW TO MAKE CERTAIN ABOUT THIS. When you get this graveyard dirt after twelve o'clock at night, you get it from three places: on the head, the heart, and the feet. And before you get that dirt, do you walk around the grave four times or after?) Aftah.
(Then you say you walk around it again five times?)
Firs' yo' walk aroun' it, dat make five. Den yo' walk aroun' it seven times.
(Seven separate times or all together?)
Altuhgethah.
(You walk around it four times. Then what do you do?)
Yo' walk aroun' it fo' times an' yo' speak words.
(What will you say?)
Yo' will say, "Ah wan' dis man tuh be subjec' tuh me. Ah wan' 'im tuh go an' not come back. Dat 'is min' may go from 'im, dat he may not undahstan' whut he do." See, dat's whut dey'll say.
(Then you will walk around it?)
Two mo' time. Dat makes seven. (They walk around it four times. They dig that dirt up and walk around it four times. Then what do they do after the fourth time, after they say those words?) Den dey walk aroun' it ag'in one time. Dat makes five, yo' see.
(Then do they say anything?)
Naw, don't say anything. Den de fifth time, den de sixth an' de seventh. Den dey march aroun' dere de seventh time, den dey will repeat de same words over ag'in....
(Then you go on away with the graveyard dirt.)
Entry 5541
Yo' take dat foot track, try tuh git it wit'out breakin' it. Yo' lay it on a piece of brown papäh an' yo'll take de measure [of] dat track. An' yo'll write dis person name crossways in it nine times. Yo' git some dirt offa sinnah -bad person died bad - yo' git dat offa dere grave, dat dirt. An' yo' put dat [grave dirt] on dere [the track]. Den yo' git chew some John de Conkah root powdah [hoo- doo drug store or mail order house product] an' yo' spread it in [the 2 dirts]. Den yo' bury dat track backwards: lak yo' gon'a walk intuh dis doah, well yo' wan'a put de foot print comin' in - yo' put de heel part comin' in. Dat'll make yer brains - mos' people bury it any way - it'll run yo' crazy, if yo' use it lak dat.
Entry 5553
Yo' take a person dat yo' dislike an' yo' wan' 'em away from yo'. Yo' seet 'im. He's comin' dat way an' yo's comin' dis way. Take a bran'-new piece of papah, a piece like dat [he changes this for cloth later]. Take a bran'-new easpoon. When ah say bran'-new, ah mean one dat was nevah used fo' any purpose. An' yo' put it - take a piece of cloth, white cloth dat yo' have nevah used fo y othah purpose. Take dat wit yo'. An' prepare tuh meet yore man, whomsoevah ir is. An' meet 'im dere, an' git a smile if yo' kin. Pass 'im an' pass 'im a certain distant [distance]. But gauge yoreself so as tuh not allow 'im tuh git ay too far. An' yo' take de track up wit dat teaspoon. Begin right at de toe, don' cha know an' pull it directly back tuh de heel. An' git de spoonful an' put it intuh dis cloth, an' wrap it up so it won't - yo' know, it will be out of de way. An' yo' take a rusty nail an' yo' cross de track directly in de centah, an' den cross it ag'in from de heel tuh de toe - away from yo', directly. An' throw de nail ovah yore left shouldah. Den yo' keep de stuff dat yo' got in de cloth, take dat an' take de spoon an' throw dat ovah yuh right shouldah. Take dat cloth right on, roll it up tight, tie it away from yuh, don't cha know. Take a piece of rock an' put in it, in de othah part of it, an' yuh care [carry] it an' yuh throw it ovah yuh lef' shouldah, right ovahbo'd intuh runnin' watah. Or if de tide is goin' down, on de tide, when yuh throw it ovah. An' yuh mention de person's name. Dey goes right on out like dat [with the tide]. As it go ovahbo'd, dey die. An' if it's comin' up, yuh know what yuh call a spring tide, huh, when it's comin' up, why dey'll git almos' crazy until de tide turns. An' as soon as de tide turns ag'in, dey gone.
(Where did you learn this?)
Ah learned dat in de Bahamas.
(At Nassau?)
At Nassua.
(From this girl?)
From dis girl.
Entry 5655
Yes, take up yore track. Sho' [sure] take up yore track an' carry it to de rivah an' put it down 'side de rivahside an' yo' will leave. (How would I put it down beside the river? How do you mean put it down?) Take a stick or a spoon an' git de dirt from de hollah of de foot an' carry it tuh dat rivah. Yo' couldn't stay dere. Yo' lay it down side of de rivah bank, jis' on de dirt.
(Do you take either track or both of them?)
Only de right foot track.
Entry 5686
They tell me that they can take the dust from under the right foot and mix that with High John de Conkah and bluestone and alum and aloes, and then use the word, "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, " will bring him back. And take that then and wrap it in a rag and bury it under their doorstep and let it stay there for nine days. And then take it out and put it in a rag and wear it around her body, and he'll be compelled to come back.
Entry 5715
Jis' lak ah'm on de way now uptown. Ah'm on mah way up an' mah min' is toum. Ah got some pahtic'lah business ah wanta 'tend [attend] tuh, an' ah'm on de way, now. Den yo'll git some of 'is track, undah- stan'. Yo' stan' where he's goin', de direction dat he's goin'. Take some of 'is tracks three times - take dat dirt P outa his track three times, an' den put dat in a piece of new cloth an' bind I up. Put three pods of red peppah in wit it. An' den take dat an' sew it up a' put a long string about dat long an' so it kin swing it. Sew dat string jis batavay an' evah time de win' blow, dat swing. He's agoin'.
(Where do you tie that up?)
Ties it up on a white oak in de woods. Jis' take it, tie it up in dere. He can't stay becuz 'is min' altuhgethah from dere. (In other words you take that track, you take it three times out of three different tracks - one right after the other?) Yessuh. (The same thing as that other one you told me about, about taking all the dree tracks?) Dat's right.
Entry 6586
Take a scorpion, jis' lak yo' wanta scorpion, yo'd have one drop of blood, an' de joint of 'is tail give it tuh 'im.
(Just one drop of blood and [from] his tail.)
Take a joint. Evah joint's a drop of blood an' evah joint of blood will make a scorpion. Yo' jis' drop one drop in dere an' give it tuh a person, well dere will come a scor- pion. Yo' have dat little thing in dere cuz ah done see 'em right in dey feets. De feets git lak dat, gits swelled up.
(Is there any way of getting those things out?)
Not unless yo' see a person, de person dat gives it tuh yo' tuh git it. Dey kin take it, but how he take it out ah wouldn't know jis' how he take it.
Entry 6615
Well, yo' kin take de blood outa scorpion, eithah snake, eithah one, an' put it intuh a person's food In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, an' dey'll becone tuh have snakes in 'em, or scorpions in 'em. Den if yo' wan' dose outa dere, yo' git chew some salt, red peppah, sulphuh. Combine 'em tuhgethah an' let 'em take it fo' nine mawnin's In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' Holy Ghost. An' dat soon will git 'em out.
(Get those live things out?)
Yes sir.
Entry 6808
(Suppose I have come to you about taking a spell off?)
Well, ah nuse [use] dis salt, peppah, sage an' stuff - salt, sugah, sage, alum an' saltpetah. Ah got dat ovah in a box, see. An' ah take some new string, nuthin have been worn, an' ah tie dem, an' whatsomevah ah Want chew tuh do [demon- strates]. (Just tie a knot.) Yeah, tie a knot, an' den ah take dat, dis stuff an' sprin- kle it ovah dere, see. An' den if dis spell [is] on me [you], see. An' whosomevah put it on yo', if yo' know dere names, yo' jis' call dere name an' tell 'em yo' want 'em to take dis spell offa yo'. Well, if dey don't, yo' wish bad luck onto dem, see. An' yo' burn dis stuff. An' den YO' STRIP BUCK NECKED [NAKED] AN' DEN TAKE DIS BLANKET AN' PUT IT: OVAH YORE HAID. AN' DIS SMOKE, YO' CAIN'T HAR'LY [HARDLY] STAND IT. If dere's anything in yo' in any way, shape, form or fashion, it'll come out, see. [The preceding term suck necked [[naked]] may be its only use in Hoodoo.] An' den yo' take a li'le whiskey glass an' yo' boil dis heah gourd tea - yo know gourds - an' yo' boil dis gourd tea an' yo' take three glasses of dis gourd tea evah day. An' dat'll take de spell off yo'.
(Especially if they have something inside of you.)
Entry 6881
A horse is tied wit a rope an' she pass ovah de rope. She's crossed. An' if anyone have any of 'er pieces dat she had befo' she got dat way, yo' see, dey kin tie nine knots in dat piece an' hang it up in a place - not tuh burn in de chimley, not tuh burn; only tuh smoke, yo' see, dataway. De child have tuh be taken from 'er by a physicianah.
(I see.)
Entry 7103
An' den too, ah know a man de way he did 'is wife, when he'd wanta go off tuh see 'is sweetheart, yo' know. He'd go tuh work an' he'd weah 'is undah- clothes yo' see, fo' prob'ly a Week, an' 'im an' 'is wife would go tuh bed an' she wouldn't even know when he git outa de bed. He'd go tuh work an' he'd take his han's an' put 'em undah 'is arm an' roun' in 'is private, an' put it cross 'er nose lak dat. An' take dem drawahs an' put ovah 'er face. An' he could go an' stay till day de nex' mawnin', an' she wouldn't wake up until he come an' move 'is undahclothes off 'er bed. Ah've known dat tuh be true.
Entry 7147
Turn de shoes bottoms upwards - his shoes. (Where?) Well, jis' lak he's pulled dem off an' gone tuh bed, she take 'em an' turn 'em bottoms up - turn de' sole up an' de top down. Say dat'll make him sleep until she come back.
Entry 7332
(You mean the knee from this dead man?)
De cap of de knee.
(How do they do that?)
Well, jes' lak if anybody kill a person, git in trouble an' wanta git away, so dey won't be caught chew know an' dey won't even look fo' dem; an' den, if dey run, happen tuh run 'cross 'em, dey can't handle 'em. All right. Dey kin go by a cemetery an' dey'll dig up a dead person, yo' know, if dey in trouble or sompin. An' dey want dat knee. An' dey:11 take dat knee an' dey'll tote it in dere pocket, see. All right. Befo' dey git dere, git dat knee - 'fo' dey git to dat knee, dey will take turpentine an' will rub it in dere shoes, see. Dat's tuh keep - jes' lak dey got dogs out aftah 'em or sompin, [keep dogs away] till dey git to de graveyard an' git dat knee. Take an' wrap it up or sompin an' put it in dere pocket an' go on 'bout dere business.
Entry 7526
Well, ah heard dat dey could go tuh de graveyard an' carry three pen- nies tuh some sinner's grave, tuh somebody dat chew know, an' dig a hole down about heah, 'bout lak neah de heart, an' ask in dese people's name fo' three cents' worth of graveyard dirt. An' dat wus tuh move a person, but not take it in de house, in yore house. An' ah've heard dat dat would really move a person.
(Well, what would they do with it after they got this dirt?)
Put it in dis person's house whut chew wanta move. Threw it on de ground, or if yo' kin git dere, throw it undah de bed. De neaheh yuh git it dere, de quickah dey'll go.
Entry 7599
"Fore sunrise in de mawnin' yo' kin go. tuh de graveyard an' take a pen- ny an' put it in de centah of dat grave. An' run yore han' down dere an' take up some of dat dirt, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an' de Holy Ghost. An' yo' kin bring it back tuh dat person house dat chew wanta run away. an' sprinkle it all roun' dere house. In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' dash it an' don't look back.
(That will run them away?)
Dat'll run 'em away.
Entry 7667
Dey said dey would take - jes' lak yo' kin go tuh de cemetery an' dey'd git dere a certain hour in de night, twelve a'clock in de night, an' git some dirt from a dead person grave. Dey moves de top of dat an' dig a hole about fo' inches deep, an' git some dirt den from dat, if dey wanted tuh make yo' sick or sompin. An' dey come tuh yore home an' be settin' down an' talkin' wit chew an' look undah yore desk or somewhere an' a pair of shoes or sompin othah dere. Dey jes' sprin- kle a li'le of dat dust, de dust of dat grave in yore shoe, an' it would cuz yore feet tuh become sore an' boily - break out in big sores.
Entry 7668
Yo' kin go tuh de graveyard at twelve a'clock in de night; not let it be ovah twelve a'clock an' yo' reach yore han' down in de grave - say it's no harm - jes' about six inches down an' git chew a han'fulla dirt an' hold it in yore hand, not slide it out, an' hold it in yore hand-an' walk on back, an' de girl dat yo' want, if yo' want 'er tuh love yo', yo' throw it up on 'er windah, eithah way up on 'er shade or windah, or anything, so it be's 'er room. An' if yo' do wan' tuh do her some damage, don' throw it up on de house. Den she'll be sick 'long as yo' stay in town, an' git dwindlin' an' quite natchal [natural] she'll soon finely [finally] die, if she stay roun' dere an' be passin dat - attah yo' do done [dat] chew know, if yo' go tuh de daid, an' sech as dat, becuz dat's de thing dat EVAH'BODY'S SCARED TUH GO TUH DE GRAVEYARD AN' GIT DIRT LAK DAT. But dat's so about dat 'cuz ah have did it mahself. Dose things ah'm talkin' 'bout ah done it mahself.
(That's all you have to do with that graveyard dirt, throw it on her window?)
Yeah, throw it on her windah.
(What will that do to her then?)
Dat will make her love yo', if yo' throw it on 'er windah.
Entry 7682
Tuh put evil spirits behin' yo', yo' goes tuh a graveyard an' yo' gits de dirt off of a grave but chew do not git it offa a person grave dat died - dat wuz a Christian an' vent tuh heaven. Yo' gits it off a sinner's grave, a person dey know God won' pardon dere sins. See. An' when yo' goes tuh git dat dirt chew leaves a dime, an' yo' takes dat dirt an' sprinkle it anywhere where anybody's dead [alive] an' call dat person name whut's daid an' tell 'em yo' want 'em tuh to'ment 'em. An' dey will tō'ment dat person an' dey won' be able tuh stay no- where roun' where yo' puts dat dirt.
Entry 7684
Yo' go tuh a - if somebody troublin' yo' an' yo' jis' want 'em tuh git in trouble, see. Yo' go tuh a sinnah - yo' gotta know somebody wuz a wicked sinnah an' got killed - yo' see, a gamblah. Yo' go tuh 'is haid an' dig down about wrist deep. An' put three pen- nies dere an' jis' tell it - jis' lak yo' talkin' tuh in - jis' lakyo' know'im, say, "so- an'-so-an'-so, ah wan' chew tuh go tuh Such-an'-such-a-one an' give dem hell, jis' give dem hell. Wham! Fight 'em, make 'em fight. Make 'em kill if it's necessary." An' yo' put de pennies dere. Kivah [cover] de hole up an' go off. Walk off an' nevah look back. Yo' take dat graveyard dirt an' yo' ketch yore dog an' cut some hair off de end of 'is tail, see. All right, yo' ketch chew a ket [cat]. Yo' cut some hair off 'is haid an' 'is tail. An' yo' take dat dog an' cut jis' a li'le bit of hair out 'is fo'haid. Yo' git some of dis urinate, see. All right yo' git yo' some red peppah, table salt, put wit dat. An' yo go by where dem people stay an' jis' tell 'em [dirt and its ingredients] what chew want 'em do wit it. An' throw it.] Don't evah look back, keep goin'. An yo' ain't goin' be a minute off fo' yo' see 'em raisin' Sam [Sam = devil]. Dey goin' move from dere. Aftah while dey goin' move from dat state.
(That is to run them out of there, run them away.)
Dat's tuh run 'em away. Dat's hard tuh ovahcome. Now ah heah'n [heard] a man tell dat an' ah seen it work. See, fo' a fact he used tuh git me tuh go by dere sometime an' throw it dere. Dis ole Doctor Bush.
Entry 7696
[He can take] de haidbo'd an' footbo'd, see, dem two li'le pieces, one at de haid an' one at de foot at de graveyard, dat [belong to], some of 'is rela- tives. Kin take dat at home an it will be lucky tuh 'im. (You mean the relatives of this dead man will go out and take these boards, and that gives them luck?) Sho' [sure].
Entry 7706
Dey say dey take it if yo' wan'a person tuh leave home. Jis' lak yo' stay roun' a family of people an' yo' didn't want dem tuh stay dere or dey were sturbin' yo'. Well, yo go to de graveyard an' yo' git some dirt offa grave. Yo' know about where a per- son's heart is an' yo' take a knife an' yo' cut a splintah offa dat haidbo'd an' a splintah offa de footbo'd. Say den yo' take dat splintah an' make a cross out it. Chew know, lak yo'd make a cross.
(Just a little bit louder.)
Yo' make a cross outa dem two splintahs an' yo' take dat dirt an' yo' put it undah dere do'step an' make a grave out of it. An' den yo' take dat cross an' stick to de haid of it jis' lak it wus tuh de haid of a grave. Well, dey will have tuh move 'way from dere. Dey cain't stay dere. [Here we have 2 splinters from the graveboards making a cross for a mock grave, a subtect to be explored later in this section DEATH.]
Entry 7720
Well, yo' goes - yo' have tuh go dere twelve a'clock in de night an' git dat [dirt]. An' yo' bring dat back. Yo' go tuh de graveyard an' yo' takes it [board] from de haid - yo' takes de haid, put de haid tuh de foot [board] an' de foot [board] tuh de haid. Den yo' go right down in de middle [of the grave] wit three cent in yore han'- go down in de middle. Yo' turn 'em loose dere an' yo' bring up dat dirt. Den yo' carry dat back home. An' yo' - jes' lak yo' wanta put it, yo' carry it tuh anyone's house; if yo' wanta run 'em off, throw it round de house. Jes' spread it roun' de house an' jes' call dere name, an' tell 'em yo' wan t'em tuh, "Go, yo' devil." Tell 'em tuh keep goin'. Cain't stay dere.
Entry 7840
Dey kin put some graveyard dirt in de end [hem] of yuh dress an' sew it up, an' dat'll run yuh crazy, make de spirits follah yuh, see. Dey'll be aftah de dirt, choo see, an' dey'll go dere [to your house] an' git it, 股 choo see. Jis' lak yogo dere [to the graveyard] an' git it, git it off a sinnahman's grave. Yo' put de money down, put two cents in at hole where yo' git de dirt from. Yo' say, "Well, ah mean fer yo' [spirit] tuh run sich-an'-sich-a-one crazy an' keep 'em worried until yo' [victim] come ohere ah'm at [come as a corpse to the graveyard]." Well, dat'll keep 'em wor- ried, choo see, until dey die.
Entry 8283
Well, yo' see, yo' kin take dat 'ere [photo] an' [a note of mlne says informant very shaky, a stutterer] an' bury it down in dirt an'...meal buries... eithah meal. Dey eithah buries it in de groun' where dey walk ovah it fo' nine days, an' make any kinda wishes yo' wants fo' it, yo' see. An' den take it out, yo' see, an' nail it up side of de tree at de ninth day an' shoot it, sompin lak dat, wit No.8 shot.
(What is that supposed to do to you?)
Dey say de person will die. (You take this photograph first and you bury it in the ground, face down, you say. And then what do you put on that?) Make any kinda wishes yo' wants tuh.
(You said something about meal. What did you say about meal?)
Even if yo' don't want tuh bury it down in de ground, yo' kin bury it in de meal.
(Oh, if you don't bury it in the ground, you bury it in the meal. Corn meal?)
Yes, sir. An' den yo' leave it fo' nine days. Den yo' see, yo' kin make yere wishes, any kinda wish yo' want. An' de ninth day yo' kin take it up an' shoot it.
Entry 8307
Yo' could take a pichure. Now, if yo' wanta do good, if yo' wanted de person tuh love yo' or somepin an' - yo' put dat pichure tuh de haid of yore bed, an' call de person's name nine mawnin's. An' wit a pin dat's nevah been used, a new pin, yo' put nine holes intuh dis pichure fo' nine mawnin's. An' while yo' punch dose holes, yo' talk tuh de pichure jis' lak yo' talkin' tuh de person. An' aftah de nine mawnin's, jis' whatevah de statements were dat chew made, dat person will do jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do, but chew must keep dat pichure dere.
(You punch one hole each morning or nine holes?)
Nine holes for nine mawnin's.
(That's nine times nine?)
Eighty-one.
(And you keep it at the head of the bed?)
Yo' keep it dere tuh de haid of yore bed.
(Now you do harm you say with the photograph. Tell me about that.)
Well, if yo' wanta do harm wit de pichure, yo' could take dat pichure an' yo' take dat tuh de graveyard, an' yo' go an' yo' call de spirits of de dead. When yo' think dat de spirit is dere, yo' take out nine han'fuls of dirt out of dat grave. Den yo' place dis pichure down dere an' yo' explain tuh de spirit jis' whut yo' want 'em tuh do tuh dat pahticlah [particular] person, see. An' what- evah yo' say, den yo' pay dat spirit.
(Well, now. What do you usually pay the spirit?)
Well, it goes - Well, NOW DE FIRST DEGREE IS THREE PENNIES. DE SECOND IS NINE AN' DE THIRD IS THIRTEEN. [I do not recall that these sums of money paid the spirit are called degree elsewhere in Hoodoo.]
(Then you cover that picture up in there?)
Let it stay dere. An' yo' have tuh explain tuh dis spirit whut tuh do tuh dat pahticlah person, an' pay dem tuh do dat. Dey'll do it jis' lak yo' ast dem tuh do.
Entry 8315
It depend upon if yo' know de hour or purtty much de time of dat dat de photograph was taken. Dey kin take it an' do whatevah dey wanta. If dey don' know de hour, purtty much de hour, when yo' had yore photo- graph taken, it's hard tuh do. But if dey kin come an' say, in [within] two hour's time, dey'll take dat photograph an' turn on its face, bury it on its face, an' it will - from time tuh time yo' will jis' begin tuh Wonder [wander], jis' begin - yo've seen people wonderin' [wandering], jis' goin' an' it don't look like, dey treats evahbody nice but 'is mind, people say, "Well, ah knows when yo' was a fine fellah. Ah knows when yo' was jis all right." Do enything fer yuh in de world. Look lak he's lost 'is mind or somepin. Well, dat's de trouble.
Entry 8512
Take nine needles an' nine nails, an' also nine pins, an' a coconut wit a eggshell.
(An eggshell?)
A eggshell, an' dis quicksilvah papah.
Quicksilvah.
(You mean the paper they put around tobacco?)
[I am referring to tin foil.]
Yes, sir. Yo' take a indelible pencil an' write someone name on it nine times across.
(Over that silver paper?)
Yes. An' yo' write it nine times across dis way [demonstrates].
(You mean cross them like that, like an "x"?)
Yeah, an' den yo' cross dat again. See, jis' keep it all covahed up. Yo' are writing dere name backwards doh [though]. Yo' don't write it, yo' know, lak it should be, but yo' write it backwards. See, lak if yure name is WELLS, well yo' start wit dat SLLEW an' go right on lak dat. Write it fo' nine times, jis' lak dat, each way, backwards an' forwards, same way. Den, yo' take an' jis' put it inside of de coconut - take dis inside of de coconut an' take it tuh a midstream, an' throw it upstream, but it must be flowin' down, lak a drift [cur- rent], see. Yo' take dis coconut an' throw it out [into the stream] an' when dis coconut go down, dis person whatevah yo' wish tuh drift, dey'll come tuh dey can't be satisfied nowhere neah. If dey have no place, dey'll set out. Dey know dat yo' live in dere, an' dey'll come in an' dey won't see no peace at home. Dey are always on de go. Dat's if dey stay dere. Finally, dey'll git so dat dey can't stay in de house. Dey'll pack up whut dey got an' if de things dat dey have is too much trouble fo' 'em, dey'll take an' pro'bly sell it an' jis' go on adriftin'. Yo' pro'bly may nevah see 'em no mo'.
(What do you do with that eggshell and that stuff?)
De eggshell, dat goes intuh de coconut.
(Oh, that goes into the coconut.)
Egg, [coconut] milk, de quicksilvah, evahthing inside of dis coconut. An' yo' put it in dere an' yo' throw it ovahbo'd.
(I see.)
Entry 9035
In fact, dere used tuh be a ole fellah roun' heah - he wuz a bad fel- lah, bad principle, an' 'is mothah believe in dat. An' ah've often see 'er - she'd go off in de night, she's daid now, she died in Richmond. But ah'ye seen dat fo' a posi- tive fac', she'd go off an' she'd come back, when 'er son would be in trouble, an' she'd have dat. Ah couldn't sweah dat it's graveyard dirt, yo' undahstan', but it would look dat Way. An' she'd be stirrin', mixin' it. Whether she mixin' it tuh git 'im outa trouble, ah don' know.
Entry 9165
When yo' git 'rested, befo' de jedge try yuh, yo' take off yore shoes, take off both yore shoes. Take yuh socks off. Turn de bottom of de shoe down. Take de socks an' put all in one. Yo' know, take two de socks an' put all in omg shoe. Yo' jes' take off yuh sock an' roll it up an' den put it in de othah one. Makes a bundle outa it. Tie it ovah wit yuh shoes. Den when de cop come tuh remove yuh, take yuh tuh de judge try yuh, den'yo' put - take yore socks, yo' unfold it a put it in one back pocket, an' one in de othah back poa ket. An' den yo' put on yore shoes witout eny socks. Take de shoestring outa it an' put dat in yore [front?] pocket an' yo' walk on up tuh have yuh trial. Well, de case's [case is] out. It may be a mistrial.
Entry 9259
Ah heard dat if yo' - jes' lak yo're workin' on a job an' dere's somebody dere dat try tuh work ag'inst yo', an' yo' wanta put 'em away from dere (2)1 an' yo' take his place, dey tell me dat yo' kin take a fresh hen aig an' go tuh de graveyard and git some graveyard dirt, an' bury it tuh de pahticlah [particular] place dat he always stand at, an' in a few days time he'll be gone from dere an' yo' have his place.
(You use any kind of a chicken egg?)
A black hen aig.
Entry 9610
Dey'll go 'head an' come heah an' put some salt an' peppah. An' dey'll come to yore house - an' at night yo' know, or any time yo' know at chure ab- sence - an' dey'll sprinkle it all up dere. An' den dey'll put chure name in dat. Write it as dey goin' off fo' vacation. An' when dey do dat, dey kin leave it an' within nine days yo'll have tuh go. (They write your name on a piece of paper and say that you are going on a vacation?) Taking a vacation. An' den put salt an' peppah. When yo' leave an' when yo' walkin' dat way, an' yo'll move within nine days.
(Where will you put this paper?)
Put it in de shoes.
(Who wears it? Would you wear that if you were trying to harm me?)
Dey put it in yore shoes, see, 'cuz jis' lak dis, [if] dey couldn't git to yo'. An' dey put yore name in dey shoe, an' den dey put a little dat salt an' Peppah. An' when dey go dere dey'll sprinkle [salt and pepper], an' within nine days yore gone. [I turn off machine and then turn it on again for missed por- tion.] (When they sprinkle it, they just say "vacate." But you have my name on thi's Paper in your shoe, and you sprinkle this salt and pepper around my house?) In yore name.
Entry 9814
Ah.don't know what de herb are, but yo' take dem nine needles if a woman come tuh yo' [informant thinks I am a doctor] an' want a man. He [the wanted man] got anothah woman an' she want tuh git 'im. He [doctor] tell 'er tuh take nine needles an' put 'em on a thread. Have one jes' a li'l bit 'bove de othah. [Informant is illustrating.] Jes' come right on - nevah let 'em be even - jes' come a li'l bit above de othah. An' tell 'er tuh take dem nine nee- dles an' bury 'em undah de do'step. Well, evah who [whoever] dis man is, if she wan' 'im, he's comin' an' de [other] Woman can't [do anything about it] 'cuz she got 'er wit dem needles, see. Now, ah know dat's true cuz... (She can't come, why?) She can't come where he is, no sir. She can't go tuh save huh life.
Entry 9841
Put nine safety pins - jis' git or'nary safety pins about dat long [demonstrates length]. Ah got some of 'em right heah now [shows some safety pins.] Put nine of 'em in dere. Co'se [of course] ah've not got de nine in dere, but den yo' put nine safety pins. Put three right heah. Pin 'em right 'cross heah straight up an dowa. Dat's three: one - two - three. [I describe demonstration.] (Three on the left side of your breast pocket.) Yeah, three right undah by each pocket. Keep 'em in yore undahshirt. Den dey put three on dis side.
(Over your heart.)
Ovah yore heart. Den yo' put three right in de centah of yore back. "Co'se yo' kin pull yore shirt off an' do dat. Dey says yo' kin have bettah luck. Dat [rite] come from New Orleans. Ah knowed dat tuh be de fact. Dey say yo' will have bettah luck. If yo' are a gamblah, dey says evahthing will come yuh way now an' den. Dose evil's got on yo', yo' kin git dat off an' keep agoin'. [A little later, after changing the cylinder, I decided to return to the pre- ceding rite.] (Just to be sure what you just told me about those safety pins. Will you explain that again, now?) Well, yo' put three of 'em heah.
(Three safety pins in your left side, one right under the other.)
Yeah, fastened. Well yo' go back heah an' yo' put three mo'.
(On your right hand side.)
Yes sir. An' den yo' - yo' can't git 'em dere but chew pull off yore shirt, an' yo' know de centah of yo' back. Yo' put three right up an' down dere [in the back of your shirt] an' weah 'em in dere all de time. When yo' have de shirt washed, take 'em out an' put 'em back in de shirt yo' put on.
(Where did you say that came from?)
Dat come from New Orleans.
Entry 9842
(Tell me how they make a person stay at home?)
Wit dere sock. Well, take dis sock an' put chure sugah an' yore cinnamon in dis sock, an' take yo' nine needles an' nine pins an' - fold yore sock an' put [in] dem nine needles an' nine pins. An' yo' use 'em all, gotta git 'em all in dere. See, dem eighteen sticks [sticking ob- jects] gotta be in dere. An' yo' take three tacks an' nail 'em down at de front of yore do', or eithah if yo' got a fiah hearth, yo' take a brick up an' yo' lay dat brick dere. Lay it dere an' put it on top dat. An' yo'll nevah git rid of 'em. Dat'll hold 'em.
Entry 9905
Tell yo' about frogs. Take a frog an' put 'im in a snuffbox an' punch holes in it, an' ca' it down tuh de fo'ks of de road. An' at de twil of day go back fo' nine mawnin's, an' de las' mawnin' he'll be et up by de antses. An' take him den an' take de bone outa his haid, an' keep it in yuh pockit. An' if yo' wan' someone tuh do whut chew ast 'im [ask him] take an' put dat somewheah neah dem, an' dey'll do anything yo' as'cum [ask them].
(When do you take that frog down there to the road?)
At de 'twill of day - yes sir, jis' befo' daylight. (The twill of day, that means just before daylight.) [This last remark of mine is merely an editorial comment for the future. I may have another example of twil but I am not sure. Does it mean at the twilight of day? Somewhere in HOODOO I think we have the expression first Light. Does the latter equal dawn?]
Entry 10019
Take a black cat an' have oven heated hot, dat's got a lid on it, an' take dat black cat an' put 'im in dat oven, see. An' put de lid on it an' cook 'im. Call 'im [cat] by name whutevah it might be. It may be Tom an' it may be Jim. Dey have diff'ren names. Whatevah 'is name be, yo' call it, an' he'll answer yuh! He'll tell yo' 'zakly what bone tuh take. Dey tell me he'll tell yuh tuh take de short bone. Take all de - aftah yo' burn 'im up, take de bones an' carry 'em tuh swift watah, see. An' pour all dese bones in de watah. An' de bone dat goes up de stream, dat is de bone fer yuh tuh take. Dat's whut chew do. [This is probably the only black-cat-bone rite in which the name of the cat is called! Lid on an Oven is unusual!]
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 10194
[Informant has a good rite here but fails to explain it.]
Write that name down and put a glass of water - write that name down over a glass of water nine times. Then put that glass of water before dat, put the... Now, I take and I put that glass of water there over that paper and take three swallows out of that glass of water nine mornings [see correction lat- er.] (Drink that water for nine morn- ings.) For nine mornings take three swal- lows out of that glass of water - I mean for three mornings. You take nine swallows out of that glass three mornings. Do that for three mornings. Den after you do dat for three mornings, get you a blue candle and let it burn right over dat man name. Don't you worry about him.
(After you burn that candle over his name.)
[I am merely making a comment to myself.]
What?
(I say, all right, go ahead.)
Well, you just - like I explain. Like you burning that candle over his name, perhaps you don't want the man - you don't wanta see him. You drink three swal- lows of water out of there for three days!!! That keep him away. See you drink three swallows each three time a day, twice in the day, and three [the third] at night. That'll be nine swallows. You take those glasses of water. Then you... see, like you agreein' with him, see you drinkin' with him. Then, you put your candle there and let it burn. Set that candle there and let it burn there.
(What will that do then?)
Well, he can't come there.
(The law can't come there?)
Yes.
(You write the policeman's name down on that piece of paper.)
Shore. (Well, how do you burn that candle? Do you put the candle down in the glass to burn?)
[The shaky answer is according to my following comment.]
(You take the glass away and put the candle on the name?)
That's what you do.
(Long as that candle burns, it keeps him away?)
Shoh, he keeps away, too.
Entry 10212
Tuh separate 'em. Yo' take dis man when he deal wit yo'. Yo' wanta break dem [man and other woman] up. Yo' take dis man when he deals wit yo' an' yo' take dat towel dat yo' an' him uses, see. An' yo' take dis towel tuh dis woman's house - if yo' kin locate where she live at - dis woman he's runnin' roun' wit. Den yo' bury dis towel down right at her do'step, where she have tuh come out at. Yo' bury dat towel dere an' den yo' take some bluein' - Purity Bluein', see. See, yo' takes bluein' an' ink an' mix it up combined. Yo' kin jis' sprinkle dat towel, on dere, an' den yo' bury dat towel right up undah- neath whah she have tuh walk at. Dat'll break it up. Dat break it up, too.
Entry 10215
After she measures that [man's penis], she gets some of your [man's pubic] hair, mixes that together, puts it in a little bag and wears it between her legs down here, and thereon he's her man. [Freder- icksburg, Va., by Ediphone.]
Entry 10272
If a woman didn't want chew tuh be socially familiar wit her, den she git some chamber lye an' put it in his cooking. Why yo' couldn't have de courage wit dat woman. Ah've heard of dat. [The opposite is usually true, as in two following rites.]
Entry 10500
Because you will tell it by de diff'rent - you have diff'rent feelings. See, I know this because I've been hurt. [He whispers something.] [Several times whispering else- where meant "I don't want to talk too loud, someone might hear me." (I see. You can tell the differ- ence.) [If you have been tricked, your feelings are different. Informant starts a selling-yourself-to-the-devil story.] And then I remember this thing. You go to de fork of de road, but de road have to have four forks. See, four. [This is sometimes called a 4-way road.]
(Four?)
Yes, sir, and you go there at midnight. And when you go there, you turn round three times and just - and then I heard a man say, well he say he did it. Well, he musta did somepin because he could do anything he wanted look like. And he went there and he said he sold - told de devil, say, "Devil take me. I sell mah soul to you." Now for knowing; I don't know that, but I've heard that.
(I see. That's all right. What time did he go out there?)
Twelve o'clock.
(At noon?)
At night, twelve o'clock at night; but you have to be in de four fork of de road.
Entry 10568
Yo' could take a leather- wing bat an' gut him alive, an' take his heart an' sew it up in a piece of red flannen, an' it vill make yo' successful in games of all kinds. Jes' while he 'live, cut him open 'live an' take his heart while it's bleedin', an' tie it up in a piece of - put it in a piece of red flannel an' it will make yo' successful in games.
Entry 10850
Well, if a person - dey's got good hair an' de othah one got bad hair, an' jes' keep on boastin', "Yes, yo' pick yo' hair. Let me pick yo' hair back, lak dis heah." "Well, now if it's a man, 'Well, ' he says, "ah'll fix yo' so's yores be's jes' lak mah hair, ' Dey'll go an' git dat buz- zard manure. Yes, an' dey cain't git to yo' deyself, but dey'll give it to yore friend. Dey'll pay yore fren' an' yore fren' will git to yo', be combin' yore hair, an' put dat in de hair. Lak, now, someone be combin' yore hair an' yo' spit in yore han' an' rub it on yore haid, an' yore hair'll go. (You mean spitting on your hand will take your hair out? The buzzard manure will do that also? And spitting on your hand will do it?) Jes' comb yore haid an' spit on yore han', be combin', an' take yore han' an' wipe down heah an' comb down. Dat take every bit out.
(Wipe your hand where?)
"Tween yore laigs. An' comb yore hair down. Take every bit out.
(That's two other ways of doing it. What do you do with that buzzard manure?)
Put it on yore haid.
(Then another way of doing it is to spit on your hand?)
Dat's right. (And another way of doing it is to rub your hand between your legs and put it on the person's head?) Dat's right. [See preceding rite for something similar.]
Entry 10937
Take a catfish entrails, split him open while dey alive - channel cat - an' take dat entrails an' put it in a bottle, or else bury it undah yore do'steps; jes' lak yo' had a place an' wanted tuh stay dere, why yo' kin stay dere as long as yo' wanta, if yo' bury dat undah dere, wit dere name.
(The name of the landlord on it?) Den yo' kin stay at dat place as long as yo' want to.
Entry 11077
Now if there is somebody that you want tuh be, want hard luck to hap- pen to them, you kin take anything of theirs. Well, say for instance, yo' take a tie. Well, say ah'll use a tie, if it's a man. Ah'll take a man's tie. You fold that tie from you and you make nine steps that way, west; then you make nine east. An' if they livin' this way [informant points], you turn your back to them [demonstrates] an' throw that tie like that [demonstrates].
(Back over your shoulder?)
Back over your head. An' never look back an' walk on off.
(What will that do?)
That will take their good luck off them. They will have hard luck all the time.
Entry 11126
(Well, what do they go down there [forks of the road] for? What have you heard?) Go to de fo'ks of de road. An' get [take along] corn or somepin like dat. Dey got [a] corn [wart] growin' dere [on the hands]. Pick one of dem dere an' rub corn on it an' rub it up [into air, not down]. An' go to de fo'ks of de road an' make a wish [to be rid of the Warts] throw it [corn] ovah de left shouldah an' go on. Nevah look back. Ah've tried dat, mahself.
(Did it work?)
No.
Entry 11337
Well, yo' take now fo' love - yo' know whut dese little ole hoot owls is, yo' know. No, ah mean dese little morning [mourning] doves. (Mourning doves that coo-coo like that?) Yes. Well, see a person kin go out, chew know, an' kill one of dem an' cut de tongue from under his mouth, an' place it under yore tongue in yore mouth an' kiss a girl, an' it'll be hard fo' yo' to git rid of her. She'll come to be in love with yo' an' yo' couldn't git rid of her.
Entry 11660
Yo' in a strange place... nobody tuh inquire whut direc- tion it is, an' yo' tryin' tuh git to a town an' heah's de fo'ks of a road, dey say yo' git de right han' fo'k. All - ordinarily yo'll be right. Ah've heard that.
Entry 11666
Yo' go down to de fo'k of de road an' yo' kin take a fresh aig - jes lak yo' in bad luck. Git a fresh aig an' a penny an' throw it cross yore shoulder at de fo'k of de road an' walk on an' don' look back. After while it put chew in good luck. (You throw that penny and
[WHY EGG? THAT IS PAYMENT FOR SPIRIT OF THE FORK] the egg over it [shoulder]?)
An' de aig ovah - both of 'em together, an' throw it cross yore shoulder an' walk on - de left shoulder and walk on. An' why dat put chew in good luck? An' de one dat come an' find dis penny, it put dem in bad luck. [This is a tranference rite, very common in wart cures.]
Entry 11739
Yo' go down, dig in de center of dat grave an' keep adiggin' till yo' git way down fur as yore hand kin reach. An' yo' pull dat dirt up, see; an' yo' git dat, see, an' go. (Then what do you do with that dirt, now?) Yo' takes it an' den go 'long dere an' put it on de steps. (How would you put it on the steps?) Git chew a lump piece, jes' two pieces lak dat. (What kind of pieces?) When yo' git up dere [on the grave] yo' reach down in dere an' yo' jes' goes - yo' reach down [in there] as fur as yo' kin reach an' put it [this dirt] on each side [of the steps]. (On either side [on both sides] of the step. What did you say it would do then?) It would make 'em leave home.
Entry 11741
Well, jes' lak now probably dat ah wuz sellin' likker. Well, ever' time ah turn roun' an' somebody knock at de do', ah think it's a customer come in dere. Ah open de do', "Ooh! It's de law." Well, ah goes tuh mah neighbor, yo' know, sell a lotta people roun', "Ah ain't got no luck. Ever'- time ah open mah do's, it's de law comin' in. Ah don' unnerstan'.: Seem lak de law gotta pick at me. Ah want dat law quit comin' tuh mah house." "Well, "' ah declare. "May[be] it's hard luck put on yo', '' [he] says, "dey's things lak dat." Well, jes' lak dat, talk along an' talk along. Ah wuz sellin' right along, gittin' on all right, thinkin' ever'thing wuz okay. Oh, makin' mo' money, yo' know, an' jes' gittin' 'long. Fus' thing ah knows, "Knock, knock." "Who's thah?" Twarn't nuthin but de [wind?] but still it wuz a lil' strange. Goes opens de do'. Who but it is de law ag'in. Well, ah sigh to mahself, "Well, ah taken dese chances but ah don't wanta take nO mo' chances." Ah goes tuh talkin' fo' fair den. So ah got one mah best fren'. Ah call her mah best fren'. So mah best fren' says, "Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do," say, "yo' go git luck, 'cause dere's bad wishes put on yo'. Yo' gotta have luck. Dere's a bar ovah dere" [someone over there could recommend a hoodoo]. Okay. An' so ah goes an' git luck. So fo' de luck he tole me, says, "Go tuh de cemetery an' git chew a lil' graveyard dirt, an' yo' git it on de off side - cf side of de right. Yo' dig down an' yo' pay. Yo' pay him an' yo' git dis dirt. Dig a hole jes' lak dat an' let chure han' go down in it, jes' lak dat [demonstrates] an' dig yo' up jes' a lil' dirt jes' lak dat. Den yo' put three pennies down in dere where yo' got dis dirt at. An' yo' take it home an' don't look back. When yo' git dis dirt jes' take it an' come right on home an' don' look back. When yo' git home, yo' put a spoonful of sulphur in dat graveyard dirt an' yo' sprinkle jes' a lil' bit of black peppah in dere. An' den yo' jes' put dat - yo' put some right under de front steps, an' den yo' go round an' put some undah yore back steps. An' den yo' gotta speak three times tuh hit, 'Name of de Father, name of de Son an' de Holy Ghost, stay an' nevah come no mo'." Dat'll do it.
(That keeps the law away.)
Keep de law away.
Entry 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 11860
I had another fellah one time tell me somepin about he's out down here at Greenville Sound, fisherman. [I failed to ask whether professional or amateur.] He was a great fisherman. An' he was goin' with a woman down there an' this woman knew his wife. Well, they were good pals. An' he said he would always go by this woman's house of a mornings before he'd go to an' fro to git in the water fishin'. An' also would take his lunches along with him. The most mornin's he went on back by there an' got his lunches. He said he didn't pay it no mind, he said. Nice hot buttermilk bis- cuits an' good breakfast an' lunch, you know, an' got on the boat [sounds like one of those commercial fishermen still about in 1936-37]. He said finally he got a little hungry. Later on, he said, he thought to himself he'd pull out his lunch an' take a bite an' continue fishing. Finally, after all, he said one mind jis' drivin' him to eat, an' one [mind] would drive him not to; an' one would drive him to eat an' one would drive him not to. An' after awhile, somehow or other his mind drove him to go ahead an' open up the package. An' he opened up this package an' spread it out acrost his lap, an' pulled open a biscuit, an' there was a big wild [loose] hair in it. An' he jis' close that biscuit right back up an' went to this same old man [root doctor] over here on North an' Wal- nut [about whom informant speaking had previously] called [something?] George. An' he told [the fisherman] he said, "If you eat [had eaten] that biscuit with that hair in there, " he said, "that's w'at it was put there for, to run to crazy, because she wanted to git between you an' your wife. An' she found she couldn't git you all by yourself, so she fix [hoodooed] it that way." An' he also told him he had been fed fer a long long time off of her ministration [menstrual blood]. He said she take it an' make it up in his bread an' gave to him to eat."
Entry 12276
Lak dere's a boy comin' tuh see a girl heah an' yo' wants tuh go see her, an' den she wants him tuh quit. Yo' take a pocketknife right aroun' dere [begin to demonstrate]. Yo' know, take yore pocket- knife, silk han'ke'ch'ef an' wrap roun' an' run [and bury] it roun' yore do'step. (Take a silk pocket handker- chief and wrap it around your own knife? And bury it under the doorstep?) Yessuh. An' den yo' rap on dat do'step, [do] dat 'fo' [before] mawnin'. Aftah yo' makes three trips dere, why he cut intuh dere.
(He'll live with her?)
Yes.
Entry 12429
Well the fact is, if yo' wan'a job, they have Mind Oil. You hear of it? Mind Oil. Well, suppose the boss's name John Henry. You sign his name to that parchment paper, put it in that Mind Oil. You will get you some paradise seed, get you some parsley. You take a bath with that. After taking bath, you must stay in that building all night, and throw the water out into the Middle of the street, see. And anything that instead of going contrary, you ill have a success with. [For "paradise seed" see margin title GUINEA SEEDS etc., P.570, v.1. Throwing bath water into street is a transference rite and remaining instead in building all night recalls ancient incubation rites.]
Entry 12886
To keep the laws away, stick that lye and keep scrubbing lye - chan- ber-lye [urine] - use that and scrub well with it, all around the door place, the doors and on the porch where they go backwards and forwards at. And then you - you get some oil of bergamine [bergamot].
(Oil of what?)
Oil of bergamine.
(Berg...)
Bergumine - oil of bergumine.
(What's that?)
[Here may be the first time I ever heard this troublesome word bergamine. Other hearings of the word followed. The long process by which I came up with bergamot I no longer remember. Many words gave me trouble.] That's a oil jest like oil of cinnamon. It's got a scent, only de scent is different. See. And you put that in your bath water and bathe with it.
(What do you do that for?)
What do you do that for? Well, anytime you come in contact with the law, you kin almost - always square 'em up.
(I see.)
Entry 13256
Ah heard dat too. Lak if yo' a big bootleggah an' dere's several people dat chew want tuh come tuh yore house, an' yo' wanta keep de law away from yore house or somepin lak dat. Yo' take [and] burn dis sulphur an' ole shoes dat will stink, an' whilst yo' take an' burn dat sulphur an' dem shoes - git up first thin' in de mawnin' - take an' burn dis sulphur an' dem shoes an' aftah yo' burnin' dis stuff, yo' git up an' take a bath round about 'leven a'clock [at night].'Fore yo' take a bath, yo' take dis stuff an' put it in de watah dat chew take a bath in. Yo' take dis stuff an' put it in yore watah an' yo' set dere [until] ah reckon round twelve or one 'clock at night. Well, yo' git up an' yo' burn dis stuff ag'in - dis sulphur an' dis ole shoes an' sprinkle sulphur lak dat. Yo' git up an' den yo' put dis back in de same watah where de sulphur is. When yo' git up jes' about sunrise, jes' as de sun in peepin' up above de trees, an' yo' take dis tub of watah an' yo' go an' po' it out on de opposite of de sun - opposite where de sun rises, but de same side where de sun rise on. Yo' take dis watah jes' 'bout sunrise, dis tub of watah, an' yo' take an' dash it out on de opposite side of de sunrise. An' dis watah will jes' run right on down - dat drive 'em 'way lak dat.
(You do this early in the morning?)
Yessuh, early in de mawnin' jes' about sunrise. (Do you pour this water out on the side where the sun is rising up or where the sun sets down?) Where de sun rise - de same side de sun rise on, de same side yo' po' dis watah out.
(That brings in trade.)
Entry 13280
Ah went in de woods in de spring of de year - it been about three years ago now. If yo' know a swallah [swallow] bird - do yo' know a swallah bird? Well, yo' kin take one of de eggs outa dere nest an' bring it home anl boil it. An' den put it back in dat nest. Well, when dat bird come back, she know dat egg ain't jes' lak she left it. Well, she goes somewhere in de woods an' get a root an' bring it dere an' put it in dat nest. Dat suppose to make dat egg right. An' yo' kin git dat an' jes' keep it in yore pocket an' yo' more den apt to keep a dollah all de time, 'long as yo' keep it.
(You'll get the root out of the nest then?)
Yes sir. She puts de root in de nest. (Then you go and take the root out of the nest. Did you try that? Did it work?) Yes sir, it worked. Fact ah kept money, ah reckon it musta been somepin'.
Entry 13329
You go out here an' git this trumpet root. That's a root that grows - it don't grow now'ere roun' here. It grows in the middle of a pond. When you git to that trumpet it's like a bugle. It's about that long [4 feet], it stays green winter an' summer. You take that trumpet root an' you pour some water in it [the flower] from a pump. Nuthin mus' be but de pump. An' take that water an' boil it. Yo' see, yo' boil that trumpet root all together. Well, when yo' git that water, yo' bottle it up an' take a drink. An' take that trumpet an' cut it up, an' put it out there an' let it git dry. Either put it in de stove an' let it dry. Well, yo' powder dat up. Yo' take that then an' yo' go to captain: 'Captain, I'm out of a job an' I wan'a job." Put some that [dust] on yo' [and take a drink of trumpet-root tea before you go] an' yo' got a job.