Subject:Talk
Entries
Entry 2891
Now, jes' say now for an instance if a man is gone and left his wife, yo' might say or sweetheart, and he's away off in another country probably and she want him back. She care fo' him but he's gone off and done 'tract his 'tention with somebody else, and his mind is offa de one that he left. If she got his photograph, she kin jes' take it and jes' turn it upside down on his haid, see. And den take a green candle and a yellah candle and put de photograph right - put it down, set de candles in some kin'a little [tin] top of something, put dis heah photograph behin' de light [candles], and light chure candles and make yore wush. See. Put de photograph upside down and put some sugar, some brown sugar in de saucer [or tin top] wheresomevah dose candles is; some brown sugar and some honey, and put de two candles in dere - de yellah candle and de green one.
[Brown sugar is often used for colored person; white for white person.]
And set 'em in dat saucer with dat sugar and dat honey and put de photograph right by dose, upside down. Well dat will make dat individual git on his head to come back, see, to where he left from. Jes' in a few days he'll git all upset, wanta come back, and ain't nuthin going to keep him away from dat individual. (Now here are the two candles sitting up in this can. You put the photograph upside down, head down, leaning against one of those candles - jest leaning against one of those candles.) Leaning against whatsomevah de candles is in. And den de person - lak ah'm doing dis, jes' lak if ah was going to light de candles for mah husband and tell him to come home, and [demonstrates] ah jes' put de photograph down dere, and ah tell him, "Now, ah mean fo' you to come home to me now. Ah mean fo' you to come home and don't you stay away no longer. Ah mean fo' you to come home." [Three times.] And in about five or seven days [odd numbers] he will be back.
Entry 3581
Tie knots, as many as yo' want, an' tie a person's name [in the knot]. Jes' lak yo' want dat person tuh do somepin, yo' tie 'em an' yo' call dere name, say, "Well, So-an'-so, an' So- an'-so, ah'm tyin' dese knots heah fo' yo'." An' yo' tie dose knots hard, den yo' wear 'em, an' yo' kin wear 'em round yore waist or undah yore feet. An' dat controls 'em, dey have tuh be submissive to yo'.
(How many knots did you say to tie?)
Nine.
Entry 3582
When yore husban' lie down to take his rest, when he git tuh sleep good, git chew a cord string. Git chew a cord string an' take it an' measure it an' tie nine knots in it. (Measure him. Where does she measure him?) Start tuh measure him from de head down to de toe, an' put nine knots in dere, an' take it an' tie it - tie nine knots in dere an' wear it aroun' yore waist.
(What will that do?)
Evah time yo' tie it yo' call 'is name an' tell 'im tuh come back to yo'.
(What are you doing that for, tying those knots for?)
Well, dat's tuh bring him back home.
(Make him stay home?)
He'll stay home when he come back.
Entry 3810
An' he told me. I knew de girl dat did it. Well, I'm goin' to tell yo' now how it started. I heard of it befo'. I wuz goin' wit 'er, an' I had been goin' wit 'er, an' I wuz in good health, evahthing. An' de way I wuz, dis girl wuz crooked on me, an' I say, "I'm goin' quit messin' roun' wit yo', I ain't goin' to" - well I got me anothah girl, started wit 'er, went wit 'er a time or two. An' I got hold of dis girl's pit- chure whut I wuz goin' wit. I had been messed up in dat stuff befo' but not wit dis girl. An' she wuz from de same place dat I wuz. She knowed broad people, all dose people down dere roun' South Carolina an' way to Georgia. Dere's a whole lot of people down dere dat knows a lot of stuff, dere's lot of em down dere dat knows plenty. I says - I been wit dis girl a time or two - I says, "I ain't goin' to hide yore pitchure, goin' to leave it in my pocket." Dis girl got dis girl's pitchure. She seed it but she wuz scared to bother wit it. I says, "Well.... [A short lacuna appears on the cylinder, probably an accidental rather than intended stoppage.] Seem lak evah time I'd go roun' where she wuz - where she wuz at - I would get cowardah [cowarder] an' cowardah [more and more he lacked courage], didn't have any manhood atall. I goes on. I [finally] went to a doctor [M.D.] an' he gived me some medicine. Kept on havin' de medicine, kept on havin' it. Well, I'd taken it fer about six months an' nevah seen it [the ailing member], gotten no manhood atall. I wuz workin' an' I says, "Hell, somepin's gotta be done." I went to see dis person [a man mentioned later] an' [he] says, "What's de mattah wit yo'?" [I] say, "He's [ailing member is] sick. He can't do nuthin. He haven't [had] a woman. It must be woman [causing this trouble]." I kept a- thinkin' about 'er if I didn't seen 'er [he kept thinking about the first woman though he had not seen her]. I wuz talkin' to a man about dis an' he told me who to go to. I went to a ole lady dat had one leg longah den de othah, an' she told me, said, "Boy," said, "time yo' got here." [Her opening words are quite professional - see CONSULTATION TECHNIQUE, Pp.307- 319. Her long leg and short leg were good for business - see NAMES FOR DOCTORS and PERSONAL APPEARANCE, PP.293-301.] She told me how I wuz messed up wit - how my manhood wuz cut down, an' she said, "But I kin fix yo' all right." I says, "Yo' can?" She say, "Yes." says, "Well, what yo' goin' do?" She says, "Well, dat's all right about whut I do. I'll fix yo' all right." An' she say, "Well, I tell yo' what yo' do. Yo' go an' buy me a half pint of whiskey." I say, "Sure enuff." I says, "If yo want a drink of whiskey, " I say, "I'll give yo' a drink of whiskey, but yo' say yo' kin fix me. Yo' told me somepin an' yo' must know somepin, ain't it?" She say, "Yo' go an' buy me a half pint of whiskey, an' if yo' wanta give me a drink, buy yo' one an' me one, an' I'm goin' to give yo' nuthin out of dat." She told me - she took a knife, jes' about a, lak a case knife, an' black gun- powdah, an' a little bit of sulphur, an' a little bit of salt, an' a little bit of red peppah, an' told me how to use it - how to take dis, put it in de whiskey an' shake it up. She got a piece of flannel - said white flannel or eithah red flannel would do, which she preferred white flannel. She had de scissors an' she cut it off an' had taken some mutton suet. She told me to take dis den an' jes' lathah [lather] it wit dis mutton suet befo' a hot stove, or anything, dat a lamp would do if it were hot enough, an' put in on jes' lak dis [demonstrates] an' give a wish.
(And pull it up three times.)
An' it would stay dere, keep it stayin' dere. Told me if when I got dere, if it would fall down, to come on back. So. I didn't pay, didn't pay 'er a thing until I came back - if I didn't want to, see. Well, it did an' it's been stand- in' evah since.
(Well, WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THIS WHISKEY, then?)
I take a swallah of it three times a day. An' it nevah bothahed me no more. Told me evah time when I started wit anybody dat I wuz payin' attention to, if I thought dey had any underworld ideas - but I nevah had nuthin to do ag'in. [The preceding experience was given on cylinder 482:9. Before that, on 482:6, came the tying-up rite, and now follows on 482:7, the pre-statement for the ex-perience:] Dere's a way dat yo' kin take some salt, an' a little bit a pinch of sulphur on a knife blade, an' somepin lak some sheep suet an' heat it ovah a red hot - somepin lak a red-hot stove. If yo' reach down lak dat an' git it when it cools, an' make a wish, yo' see if it stand up [demonstrates].
(How do you pull it down?)
No, yo' pulls it up, three times.
(Three times?)
Pull it three times an' make a wish.
(And then it stays up itself.)
Yeah.
Entry 4313
It'll bring peace. Yuh put salt, three spoonsfulla salt, an chamber lye. Den if yuh want 'im tuh lak yuh, yuh take an' throw it. Talk to it an' jis' throw it in de path dat chew walks from yuh house. Throw it an' he will always be approachin' de do' tuh speak tuh yuh.
(That chamber lye, what will that do then, if you put it in this path?)
If yuh wants 'im tuh lak yuh, he'll lak yuh an' won' have no harm ag'inst yuh.
(That will make the man come back and like you?)
Yes.
Entry 4314
In de mawnin' befo' yo' speak tuh anybody, take yuh chamber lye an throw it out in front an' jis' keep it all saturated roun' yore house.
(What will that do then?) Well, dat will make customahs come tuh yuh.
Entry 4773
(What can they do to make the man come back?)
She kin take her [under] clothes an' put 'er clothes on de wrong side, an she'll go tuh de sunrise an' talk wit 'im. She has sulphur an' red peppah in er shoes. An' she kin talk wit 'im befo' de sunrise. In about three days aftah dat he will come home an' he don't know how he come home. (She turns her underclothes inside out and she has to wear them - while she is talking to him - turned that way.) Tuh de sunrise.
Entry 4968
Tuh bring a man back wit de sock, yuh take a lef'-foot sock. Yuh take an' put it down, put it down undah a rug, jis' lak yuh got lino- leum. Yuh put one down - yuh put de firs' sock down comin' in [at the front door]. Yuh go tuh de reah do' an' yuh put de othah sock down goin' out - shoot it [straight] goin' out. Yuh git up [in the morning] an' yuh take yuh some chamber lye an' yuh sprinkle, jis' lift it up soon in de mawnin' an' sprinkle a little chamber lye on dere, see. Go tuh dis [other] one an sprinkle a little bit of chamber lye on it. All right, yuh say, "Now, Lord, combine me an' mah man tuhgethah wit union an' love." Say, "Leave out all stum- blin' blocks, hindahin's an' causes." An' if he as fur away as mah han' he is got'a come. He's got'a come. Yes sir, ah know he's got'a come. Don' care whut direction he is in de worl', yuh take dem socks an' put 'em down lak ah said. Put 'em on down, de firs' sock comin' in dis way, an' dis one goin' out dat way.
(What do you mean by the middle door? Do you mean the back door?)
Jis' lak dat do' right dere [points].
(That back door, away out at the end of the house?)
No, inside de house. [Informant thinks my end of the house means outside the back door. Back door is meant.] (You call that man by name when you are saying that little [I WAS GOING TO SAY INCANTATION BUT STOPPED] - theSe WOrds?) Yeah, yuh have tuh say dose words.
Entry 5322
Well, git his track - git nine track comin' tuhwards yo' an' git it an' put it wit some red ants nest - in de red ants nest, an' some salt in it. An' stir it roun' an' talk tuh de red ants an' tell it whut chew want done, work an' all, an' he'll come back. (That is to bring the man back? You get nine tracks as he is coming toward you?) Yes.
(Just one track right after the other, I see.)
Entry 5560
Dey said dat chew could take a new penny-nail, new brand [brand-new] ten-penny nail, an' git some hog lard an' grease it an' yo' kin harn a person lak dat. Yo take it an' go bury it in de left foot, de hollah [hollow] part of de lef' foot. Stob it down an' talk tuh de nail an' tell it whut chew want done.
Entry 5561
Take a ten-penny nail an' tell it whut chew want an' drive it right in de hollow of dey feet when dey leavin' home, drive it up, an' jes' tell it whut chew want it tuh do, call their name, an' say dey'll move way from dere. But ah've nevah tried dat...
(But you must put it in the foot track as they leave...?)
Yeah...
(Either track?)
Aw, de right track. [Wilson, N. Car. (1470), 2652:14.]
Entry 5980
I've heard them say they could take your hair and boil it in black molasses, and then take it and put it out in the sun and let the sun get at it. And take it and put it in the cellar or some dark place. And when it is dark go down there and talk to the hair and tell it what you want it to do to this person. And the hair will do whatever you say.
Entry 6073
De nex' story ah know. A man an' his wife gits ma'ied an' dey live good. Well, yo' know, people git mad 'cuz when dey gittin' 'long good in de home.[ Well, ah'm goin' tell yo', dere's people don' lak dat: "She's gittin' 'long good ovah dere," says, "an' all ah kin do [is to make ends meet]." Co'se ah'm goin' tell yo' de whole business. Well, dis woman ovah yondah she's cryin' an' wantin' 'er husban' tuh come back an' she can't git 'im tuh come back. "Ooh, ah don't know whut to do. Mah husban' won' come back, ah want 'im tuh come back." Well, ah tell yo' a good plan yo' kin do. Ah tried dis an' dey tell me it's good. Yo' kin try it. Well, ah tell yo' whut chew do. Yo' git some hair offa him down dere an' yo' sew it up in a flannel rag, an' yo' tote hit fo' nine mawn- in's, an' evah mawnin' yo' git up an' yo' speak to it an' says, "Ah totes dis an' de hairs of mah husban' will come back to me, ah'll tote dis an' de hairs of mah husban' will come to me, [surely said a third time], In de Name of de Father, Name of de Son an' Name of de Holy Ghost. Amen." Yo' say dose words nine mawn- in's an' tote dat. He'll come on back.
Entry 6280
De way dey'll take dat hair, dey'll take dat hair an' dey'll call it [by name], will call yo', an' dey will make a dressin' of it an' will git chure mind. An' in gittin' yore mind dey got chew.
(How do you make a dressing of it?)
Dress yore hair?
(How do they dress it?)
All right, yo' take nine thimblefulla chamber lye an' yo' take nine thimble- fulla salt an' put it in a bottle an' yo' dress dat. Yo' do it up in a rag an geah it aroun' yore waist, an' evah three days yo'll dress it an' call it, say, Ah wants tuh rule, control So-an'-so." See, yo' callin' it. Well, QUiTE NAT- CHAL WHEN YO' CALL A PERSON YO' GIT DERE MIND. An' sO dat's de Way yo' do it.
(And you do this, as you say, for love?)
Fo' love.
Entry 7190
Now, ah'll tell yuh tuh show yuh dat ah kin know somepin. Ah were born in dis world feet foremost. Ah wuz wrapped in a veil three times. [This means] yuh talk tuh anyone in three tongues an' yuh kin sing ole-time songs, mah mothah said. Mah parents an' both mah gran'parents said ah had plenty hair on me befo' dey had dern [theirs]. Well, ah wuz born between de legs [of my mother] as a woman. Yes sir, ah wuz born wit mah teeth. Ah'd [I had] it [them] pulled an' nevah shed a tooth in mah life. Ah wuz de seventh chile outa seven daughtahs, born on de third day of de new moon. An' yuh know, mahself as a virgin should be wise [a woman of 55-60 years old]. Ah kin rub [you] if anybody did anythin' tuh yuh an' it'll all go away. Ah know ah wuz born tuh work [hoodoo]. No one taught me. Ah wuz born in North Carolina, in Salts- ville [lake?] where's dere nuthin but Geechees [gē'chē, singular]. Mah fathah wuz a full- blooded Geechee, mah mothah wuz a Amasha woman, black Creek Indian, etc., etc. [This woman, quite eccentric, was a professional worker and excellent. Unfortunately, except for the preceding account and No.2328, p.652, I lost all of her material. She claimed to be a Gee- chee (ge'chē), word from Ogeechee, a dialect originally of Negro slaves on the Ogeechee River, Georgia, formed of English and native African words. I found it difficult to understand either the Geechee or the Gullah, the latter along the lowlands and off-shore islands of South Carolina, Georgia and the northern coastal tip of Florida. A black man I interviewed at Ocean City, Md., in 1926, he working for his M. A. at Howard University, had spent several weeks in Charleston, S. Car. His opinion to me was: Those people down there are not Americans, they are Africans. I could scarcely understand a word they said.]
Entry 7611
Ah learn of it. If dey git some of yore hair or dey jis' only git dat dirt right out de centah of dere yard. Ah learned tuh hear whut ah'm talkin' 'bout. Yuh git de dirt right out de yard, but yuh says a few words yuh know In de Name of de Lord an' yuh'll take dat dirt up an' yuh'll wrap dat hair in it. An' when yuh wrap dat hair in it an' wear dat, yuh would put a little bit of eatin' salt in it, an' den yuh'll work dat. An' yuh git, no doubt- sometime ah hear 'em say yuh git graveyard dirt, but den yuh'll git a wicked per- son. An' yuh'll take jis' de least of dat dirt but yuh'll pay dat graveyard-man who dead. Yuh [must] know 'im. An' yuh'll take a little bit of it an' yuh'll give him two cents. An' yuh run yore han' in de body of it - yuh know, de grave. An' den yuh'll mix dem two thin's tuhgethah, an' den yuh'll wrop 'em tight an' tie 'em tight, an' den yuh bury it. Dat's whut ah learned about it.
(What will that do then?)
Well, yuh jis' only bury it an' yuh jis' tell it whut chew want it tuh do - jis' lak yuh's talkin' tuh me. Yuh'll tell it whut chew wan' it [to] do jis' befo' yuh bury it doWn. Dat's harmin' 'em. DAT DEAD PERSON WILL FOLLAH YUH AN' DAT GIVE YUH A AGONOUS [agOnizing] CONDITION. (You take some hair from a person's head and some of this dirt from the grave- yard?) Yessuh, an' a lil' bit [of dirt] out of yore yard. (Now for example, suppose I wanted to harm you, I would get some of your hair, but I would take the dirt out of my own yard?) Out yore own yard, and... (And then some dirt out of the graveyard. And then I would mix this stuff all up and talk with it, and then I would bury it some place?) Dat's right. Tie it tight wit a raw cotton thread.
(And that would harm you?)
Harm me.
(Well, what would it do to you?)
Well, lotsa time it's 'cordin' tuh whut chew say tuh it. It'll rum me crazy, it'll always keep me mindless, an' den it'll keep me ill all de tize.
Entry 7615
If it a lettah dat dey wrote, take it tuh de graveyard. An' yuh know de person dat whom is buried dere, an' talk tuh de daid. An' bury it in dere an' ast - put three pennies dere, pay 'em, says, "Take keer of dis in de situation of bringin' 'im home, "' or 'harmin' him." Eithah way, kin use it eithah way, see. Yuh kin talk to de daid an' tell it jis' whut chew want; eithah tuh harm 'em or to run yuh 'way or bring yuh home.
Entry 7617
Wal, ef yuh know dere names, yuh kin take an' go tuh de graveyard an' Write dere initials an' carry yo' fo' pennies an' pay de dead. Whosomevah 'tis died, yuh know dere names. Yuh call dere names an' tell dem yuh want 'em tuh bring dese person back an', "Ah'm payin' yuh fo' pennies." Well, in less time den two months wheresomevah dey be at, dey will come back. (Where do you write the name of this person that stole the thing? Where do you write that name? Do you write that name on a piece of paper?) On a piece of paper.
Entry 7626
Stickbo'rd tuh de haid of graveyard [grave]...when yo' goes dere. Yo'll have tuh go dere at twelve 'clock at night. Durin' de time of goin' dere yo'll have tuh pay de graveyard-man three cents an' a half a pint of whis- key. (Where do you put that stuff?) Yo' have tuh dig in de haid of 'is breast, an' dig dat out an' set de whis- key down in de centah of it, an' step across 'im three times - backwards like dat [demonstrates] come across, go across - go across - go across - an' den go back an' talk tuh 'im in dat hole whut chew want 'im tuh do.
(What do you do with the pennies?)
Right in dat same hole where yo' put de whiskey, an' den call 'im up an' bring some of dat stuff away, out de hole, an' put it in a bottle. An' den he'll work fer yuh, do jis' whut chew want 'im tuh do.
Entry 7680
(Have you ever heard of people calling your spirit away? Bringing somebody's spirit to you?) Oh yes, dat be done on special occasion, on certain [time] yo' come tuh me an' ah would take yo' tuh de graveyard an' call de man an' have him talk tuh yo'. (Can you tell me of a case of that kind?) Dat's de spiritual line. Dat spiritual, gittin' down tuh de spiritual now. Yo'd have tuh act in a diff'ren' way, diff'ren' form from de witchcrafty business. Dat two diff'ren' things, pictures yo' know.
Entry 7688
Well, dis graveyard dirt, dey say dat'll drive anyone from yer home. Yuh take dat an' mix it wit salt an' some red peppah. An' dey say yo' take dat an' sprinkle it all aroun dese people home as neah tuh de home as yuh kin. An' dey say yuh have tuh talk to all dis stuff dat chew doin' an' say: In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, an' tell it whu' chew wan' it tuh do. An' dey say dat dey be Wantin' tuh leave dere.
Entry 7703
(This grave board?)
Dat's right. Wal, yo' take dat an' yo' draw de name ovah [offa] it, jes' lak dat person's been daid. Now, if a person's been daid an' yo' wants tuh see 'em, Wan' 'em tuh come tuh yuh or sompin lak dat, yo' take dat an' draw is name ovah [offa] dat bo'rd, steam it, jes' lak dat, an' yo' read de 37th Psalm, an' he'll come befo' yo' end [the Psalm] an' talk tuh yuh.
(What do you mean by drawing that name off?)
[Had the name been on a tombstone a rubbing could have been taken.]
Jes' draw it off on a tablet - papah.
(You just put the paper on there and draw it?)
No, jes' draw it off wit a pencil on de paper, jes' lak it dah [there] an' den yo' see, yo' put dat [paper with name] on yore haid wit de [while you read de] Bible. An' yo' read dat [Psalm] an' he'll come an' talk tuh yo', an' tell yo' whut chew want.
Entry 7704
Providin' if it's a person dat yo' like an' dey are about tuh scurry away, an' if yo' go tuh dat ceme- tery an' talk to de dead an' pay dem so much, an' yo' write de name of de person on de headboard an' dat'll also keep 'em from goin' away, but it will keep 'em
Entry 7723
See, yo' 'sposed tuh go tuh de graveyard twelve a'clock at night, an' yo' git dis dirt, an' when yo' start gittin' dis dirt, yo' supposed tuh say, "Dead spirit, ah didn't come tuh rob yore grave, ah came heah fo' luck In de Name of de Father, of de Son an' of de Holy Ghost." An' if yo' put money tuh dat grave or a corn or either some fresh rice, anything, yo' supposed tuh pay dem An' jes' lak if yo' want chure luck changed, yo' go dere in de nighttime at twelve a'clock an' yo' take de haidbo'd an' throw it tuh de feet an' take de feetbo'd an' throw it tuh de haid. An' yo' git dis graveyard dirt an' yo' sup- posed tuh put sulphur in it - supposed tuh put red peppah an' yo' supposed tuh put sompin yo' kin git at de drugsto', but yo' don' specially have tuh have dat, an' salt in it. An' yo' burn dis dirt three times a day. If it's wet yo' put it in de sun an' let it git dry, an' when yo' make yore fiah [fire] it gonna smell funny when it be burnin'. Yo' shet up in a room tuh yo'self an' yo' burn dis heah dirt. An' jes' lak if yo' want - if anothah party livin' next do', yo' want 'em out chure house, yo' burn dat dirt on dose people an' tell 'em dat chew want 'em tuh be out. Yo' know, move out de house. An' burn it three times a day. An' jes' lak if yo' runnin' a joint or anything, an' if no one will visit chure joint much, yo' kin burn dat dirt, an' in about ten minutes time yo'll have a crowd at chure house. An' if it's a woman yo' wants tuh see, an' yo' cain't see her, an' yo' burn dat dirt, dogged if she wouldn't be dere in about five minutes' time.
(You make your wishes when you burn that dirt.)
[This was not a leading question. Somewhere while recording machine had stopped this had been mentioned.] Yeah yo' make yore own wishes In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son an' de Holy Ghost. (What is the stuff that you would get at the drug store if you wanted to use that and add that to it?) It's sompin, but chew specially [don't] have tuh have dat, becuz ah ain't nevah didn't nuse [use] dat. (You don't have to have it. What is it, if you do want to use it?) [Either no answer or I turn off machine too fast.]
Entry 8139
An' den yo' kin take dat man photograph an' yo' kin take it an' bury it in de hay [I mean] in yo' fiahplace undah a brick. An' in buryin' dat undah a brick, when yo' put dat down dere yo' turn 'is face down an' say, "Ah want chew tuh stay down heah" - call 'is name - "an' ah wan' chew tuh stay down heah. Ah wan' chew tuh come uadah mah com- mand, to do as ah say do, In de Name of de Lord, bring peace an' love in our home." An' jis' put it down dere, an' as long as yo' got dat pichure buried in yo' fiahplace, de fiah, if he nevah move it [photo] he'll always be humble down undah yore feet.
(Just how do you put that picture down in there?)
Yo' jis' turn it down as yo' take up a brick, yo' turn 'is face down.
Entry 8303
Dey always tell me tuh take dis man pichure, if yo' got 'is pichure in yore house. Take dis man pichure an' wrop it up in a piece of papah an' stick a pin in it, a clothes pin [not clothespin], jis' a stickin'- pin, stick anywheres dere. Take it an' pin it tuh de haid of yore bed or 'er bed, an' all she den gotta do, tell 'im now, co'se she know 'er husban' name. "Yo' stayed 'way long 'nuff. Ah think yo bettah come back home." Dey say dat will bring 'im back home. Jes' a straight pin, one of dem straight pins, an' stick in dat an' pin it tuh de haid of yore bed.
Entry 8305
Ah don't know where he [the doctor] come from, but he told me tuh take his photograph an' put up ovah de do', bottom upwards, an' talk tuh it nine mawn- in's an' he'd come back. (That's to make him come back. They turn it upside down for nine mornings and talk to it?) Yes.
Entry 8306
Go an' git 'is pichure an' stand it on it's haid undah de haid of 'er bed an' talk tuh it. Call 'im back nine mawnin's an' he'll come back.
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 8308
Well, dere sev'ral things dat chew kin do wit dat. Now yo' kin take a person's - now lak if a person is off an' yo' wanta draw dem tuh yo' wit dere photograph. Yo' kin take dat pichure an' yo' kin turn it - it will show yo' see. Yo' kin take dat pichure lak dis tuh de east part of de world - yo' kin take dat pichure an' turn de face of it lak dat [demonstrates] in de dark. (The face to the east?) To de east. See [demon- strates] lak dis is de face here. Yo' do dat, see, lak, an' let it be in de east part, an' let de face be towards dat way. An' nine mawnin's yo' go tuh dat pi- chure an' lak, if yo' face de haid up dere, yo' go tuh it lak dis [demonstrates and talks].
(Have that part upside down, turn it upside down and talk to it.)
Talk tuh it.
[Informant demonstrates while I describe demonstration.]
(Now this picture is upward on the mantel [of the interviewing room], but the face is against the wall facing to the east and the head is up. When you go there these nine mornings, you pick up the picture and just turn it back so that YOU ARE TALKING TO THE FELLOW WHOSE HEAD IS UPSIDE DOWN. ALL RIGHT, NOW, WHAT DO YOU SAY?) Well, now, yo' call 'im by his name.
(You call this picture by his name.)
Jis' lak, fo' instance, say his name is John. Yo' jis' take his pichure up an' say, "John, ah mean fo' yo' tuh come home, '' say, "yo' heard me talkin' tuh yo'. Come home, In de Name of de Lord." See, an' if yo' use a holy name, why yo' kin call, CALL DAT HOLY SPIRIT'S NAME, yo' See, SUCH AS JACK OR WHATEVAH SPIRIT NAME YO' USE. Call it dat way. When, if yo' not dealin' wit de spirits, why den yo' call 'im [the man]. Jis' call 'im, say, "John, ' say, "ah mean fo' yo' tuh come home." Say, "Yo' know ah want chew tuh come home. Ah mean fo' yo' tuh come. Yo' heerd me callin' yo'. Come home!" See, an' talk tuh 'im dat Way. Turn it [photo] an' leave back up dere; but do dat as early as yo' kin in de mawnin' 'fore twelve aclock, see. An' if yo' don't ketch it in de mawnin' 'fore twelve aclock, den yo' ketch it at nine aclock at night or eithah right aftah twelve at night.
(And you say you do this for nine days?)
Yes sir, fo' nine days.
(And that will bring him back?)
Dat'll bring 'im back. An' den again yo' kin use salt, jis' common cookin' salt tuh bring a person back whatevah direction. If yo' know whatevah direction de party is in - say, north, east or south - whatevah direction, yo' kin jis' take a li'le pinch of salt an' go tuh de do' in de yard where yo' kin throw it. All right, throw it in dat direction an' call 'em by dere name. An' call 'em in dat way an' dey'll git so restless an' uneasy, an' dere mind will jis' git on dat place where yo' want 'em tuh come, cuz dey'll have tuh come.
Entry 8522
(How do you do that?)
Well, yo' use a coconut to make a person come to yo'. Yo' take an' pluck out de eyes, but yo' don't let that water come out of there. And you take the name and put it upon this Venrick [brand name?] parch- ment [paper imitation] and put it in there, inside, and you seals it up with the wax that drops from the candle. And just roll it. Start from the front door and be rollin' back inside an' speak to it just like yo' speakin' to 'em an' call 'em by their name. That'll draw 'em to you.
(That will make them come back.)
Entry 9528
An' den if yo' wan' him tuh tell evahthing he knows, yo' kin put his han' while he's 'sleep - if yo' maybe ketch him drunk - put his han' in some cold salt an' watah, if yo' wanta find out whut he's doin', an' he'll tell evahthing he knows.
Entry 9749
Jes' lak if yo' an' a person have a big dispute or somepin of de kind, den yo' take nine nails, nine bran'-new nails. An' take yo' some sulphuh an' take dem nine nails an' a piece of tin. Yo' know, a top [lid of tin can] an' nail it down lak dat. Nail it through dat top an' put dat sulphuh undah it, undah de top. See [demonstrates], turn de top down, see, an' yo' take nine nails an' nail 'em roun' [through the lid] lak dat. An' if he's plannin' tuh do anythin', take a suit ag'inst yo' or anythin' of de kind, use dem nine nails. Den yo' tie his mind down. Yo' tie his mind down dat he can't do whut he intend tuh do. Can't do it.
(You just simply put the sulphur out there, and turn that tin top [or lid]
down over it, and drive nine nails into it.) Nine nails. An' talk to it jes' lak ah'm talkin' tuh yo', jes' what yo' want tuh be done.
(What would you say?)
Jes' lak dis: "Ah don' wan' chew tuh bring suit ag'inst me. Yo' must be mah fren', not a enemy. Yo' gotta be mah fren'." Yo' see, yo' nail dem nails down an' yo' talk tuh it, jes' lak yo' call 'is name: "John, yo' must be mah fren an' not a enemy tuh me. Yo' must be mah fren'." An' jes' nail yore nails right on down. "Ah'm talkin' tuh yo', John, an' callin' yore name. Dis is Carrie Han' [Hand] talkin' tuh yo'. An' yo' must be mah fren, not mah enemy.' An' jes' nail dem nails down lak dat.
(Where do you nail the nails down?)
Yo' kin nail 'em down jes' anywhere in yore house, yo' undahstan'. [Sumter, S. Car., (1351). 2344:6.]
Entry 9859
Yo' kin kill a person wit a toadfrog. Yo' kin git a toadfrog an' jis' lak yo' had a enemah [enemy] an' yo' didn't wanta go tuh 'im an' jis' shoot 'im down perhaps. Yo' would git chew a toadfrog an' tie 'im up an' den talk tuh 'im jis' lak yo' wuz talkin' tuh dat individual [you intended to kill]: [1] YO'S MAH ENEMAH AN' YO'S DIS, [2] DAT, [3] AN' DE OTHAH, AN' YO' DONE DIS THING. [1] AN' AH'M GOIN' KILL YUH, [2] AN' AH WAN' CHEW TUH LEAVE, [3] AN' AH DON' WANT CHEW TUH BE IN MAH WAY. An' take a bran'-new knife dat hasn't been used, an' aftah yo' git through talkin' wit 'im, aftah yo' tied 'im [toadfrog] up lak dat, talk tuh 'im lak yo' wuz in a fuss wit dis enemy of yores. Yo's re'lly mad wit 'im an' yo' start tuh cuttin' 'im wit dat bran'-new knife, jis' sayin' things tuh 'im: [1] AH WAN' CHEW TUH DIE, [2] AH WAN' CHEW TUH DIE, [3] AH WANT CHEW TUH TAKE SICK AN' DIE. Aftah yo' git through cuttin' 'im, call 'im [toadfrog] a bad name. Dat individual will take sick an' jis' dwindle away, jis' lak yo' killed dat frog [toadfrog] an' named 'im dat individual.
Entry 10534
Go tuh de four corners of de forks of de road for nine mornings - for nine nights, at twelve o'clock. Yo' suppose tuh meet de devil out dere at de ninth night. And after you meet him, yo' walk wit him an' yo' come back. Yo' supposed tuh do anything yo' want: play music or be a good gambler, yo' know; but de aver- age fellah haven't got de guts tuh do dat.
Entry 10832
And then you take a card, playing cards, you see; you know, like you [picture of man: jack or king].
(Playing cards?)
Yes. Well, you take him out and you'll turn him up behind your bed, you understand.
(Behind your bed, yes.)
Behind de head of your bed on de same side that you [man] sleeps. Now, this is a woman fer a man, and then on de other side, he kin do de woman de same way, you see [he uses female card]. And you'll put it there and then you'll take a broom what you have never swept with. I mean a new broom. You git nine straws out of that. And then you'll talk to him every morning. Everything you eat, you feed him and says good things about him. Don't say anything harsh. And he'll be compelled to come home to you.
(What card do you take out of that deck?)
Take de card that run for you.
(Oh, you have to run the cards?)
Yeah, now like you might run a spade. You might run a diamond. You might run a heart. You might run in a jack and you might run in a king, you see.
(I see.)
Well, you take de card that run for you.
(And you put that up behind your bed - upside down, you say?)
Oh, no! Don't turn dat upside down. You nail it behind your bed. Like I lays on de right side of de bed, well, you nail it on de right side of de bed.
(Behind the bed?)
Yeah, behind de bed, out of search from everyone. No one knows it but you. You do that to yourself. No one sees it.
(Is the face against the bed or the face out?)
The face is out. No, the face is out. The back of de card is against de bed. And you feed that with everything that you eat. Even now, like you would get water - just like you was really feeding him sure enuff. And you talks sweet things - like you 'pologizing, you know.
(I see, to this card?)
Yeah, to that card, for ninr mornings and he will be forced to come back. As to the woman [if a man is working this rite] she'll be forced to come back.
Entry 11046
To keep dem [law] from de house? Now, if you Wanta a little liquor kept [for sale] in dis place heah and you don't want no man to come in on yuh nov. You go on your station house and git one of de man's name that you'll find out. Git one, two or three - if you kin [get] nine it's much better. De ore you get de stronger it is. If you can't git but one [name], den work on dat Bne one, but let it be de leading man dat you knows is asking about you - to yoar acn judgment. Work by your own judgment, de judgment of your ear. Git dat man nae and git you a brand-new piece of board and write his name. Put 'en cross de world. Write 'em cross de world to you and write 'em backwards.
(Backwards and forwards.)
And dey can't come in fer de devil. And nail dat onto your step and dey can't be seeing you. Not when you nail dat dere. Git you de heart of a chicken and it got to be a black chicken. Cut de heart out of it. Git dat wishin' bone of de chicken breast and you take dat heart wit your hand on dose letters. Put 'em dere so it can't be rub off - on dat board. (You rub this heart over those letters?) All over dose letters, all up and down like dat. And talk at de same time. Tell 'em dat [what] dat spirit is got- ta to do. You don't want no law to worry me. You wants to be up dere selling whiskey. Ah don't want dat law to worry me. Ah don't want no kin' of law. Ah don't even wants 'em to come heah fo' a drink of liquir or beer. Ah [wants] 'em to pass by and keep on passing by. Kin go right in next door but won't come in chere. Take dat wishing-bone, and be shore dat you go. down in de groun' to your shoul- der and turn it down -人. Don't turn it up -Y
(Turn the wishing bone down, the points down?)
[Here we have rite similar to the forked stick or "Y" in No.11032.]
Turn de two prongs down. And while you have - doin' it, you talk to 'em. An' if you know any de officer's names, don't let any come in dere, de fed'ral offi- cer back, de county man back, de city officer back, de state controller, back. Dat take in all 'em, ain't it? Go on over and over. And if you git dose three class of officers, you know why it is, don't you? De federal, de state control- ler, git de county and git de highway man. Den you go to work.
(Where do you bury that wishing bone?)
Under your step, right under your step. Be sure to go under your house. Den you put dat bone. If you ain't got no front, put it in de middleways of de house. [This center under the house and the 4 corners of the house make our rite a quin- cunx.] Dat almost stop people jack-jacking to the front.
Entry 11670
Whut dey do's at de fo'k. Well, de fo'k of de road, when yo' do dat, yo' kin draw a person tuh yo' or yo' kin run 'em from yo'. Well, now, when yo' got dere at de fo'k of de road, yo' git dere at sunrise. Well, den yo' make a cross, jes' lak de cross dey say dat Christ hung [on], yo' know. Yo' name dat even, an' yo' cross dat, an' den yo'll take a little graveyard [dirt], good or bad [grave] it don't make no difference. An' den yo' put dat in a little bit of sulphah an' salt, an' den yo' make a powdahs of dat - lak, yo' know, an' den yo' throw it in dat place. An' dat's de way yo' uses dat at de crossroad, yo' know, anything lak a fo'k. An' dey [den?] yo' say, yo know, yo' have to talk to it, say, "Jesus Christ suf- fered an' died on Calvary Cross, why can't yo' do so- an'-so-an'-so." See, jes' anything yo' want tuh name tuh it.
(You do that for harm or bad?)
Yeah, it'll do eithah fo' good or fo' bad, but den yo' have de Lord, an' make it which way yo' want it tuh go.
Entry 12180
Well, if yo' want good luck an' success, yo' know, yo' go to de black- smith shop an' git hoof from de horse hoof, an' yo' take it an' lay it down. Yo kin take three pieces. Have 'em all three de same length. An' yo' take an' lay 'em [demonstrates]: One fo' de Father, one fo' de Son an' one fo' de Holy Ghost. (You cross them when you are doing it.) Yes. An' then yo' put sulphur an' salt on top of that, an' while it's burnin' - burn it - an' while it's burnin', yo' jis' talk to it an' tell it anything that yo' want to have - if yo' want any good luck or anything yo' want done. [For this same design in other rites see those listed at end of rite 11879.]
Entry 12216
Well, yo' goes tuh work an' yo' git chew some incense an' yo' burn it in yore lamp or anywhere, roun' evah mawnin' 'fore de sun rise. An' yo' talk tuh de incense whilst it Smokin' - whilst it burnin' - an' say whut chew want it tuh bring toward yore place, an' dat will bring yo' good luck.
Entry 12284
Yo' kin git saltpetah, sage, alum, sugah an' salt - yo' know - stuff, yo' know, whut he nuse [use]. Yo' know, salt an' sugah an' stuff lak dat whut chew wanta know in dose strings. Yo' say, "In de Name of de Fathah, an' de Son, ah'm bringin' yo' back tuh me." Call his name, see, an' say, "Long as yo' eat sage, as long as yo' eat sugah, drink sugah in yore coffee" - sompin lak dat. An' call dose names, an' tie dose strings, an' tell him yo' want him tuh come back tuh yo'. Well, he'll come den. An' aftah yo' tie dose strings, put dose strings in a pile an' sprinkle dis saltpetah an' stuff ovah it, an' red peppah, an' yo' take kerosene. An' den yo' say, "In de Name of de Fathah an' de Son, ' an' burn it. An' put it out in de yard an' let it smoke.
Entry 12440
You take a mockingbird.
(A mockingbird?)
Yeah, you take a mockingbird egg and a canary bird egg, and you put them twd eggs in a bottle together. And you take a person's name and you put alcohol on that, but you mark the name in initials and you put it in a good bottle. [One bottle is used in this rite.] (You just put their ini- tials on that?) Yeah, and you put it down in that bottle and shake it with that person's [name] that you don't like or do [person who has done] you something. It will just make 'em talk all over from their mouth, send them to jail, give them trouble, make them get in a fight and get in trouble.
(You say this will make them talk?)
Make them talk aplenty, make them get in trouble.
(Well, why does it make them talk?)
Well, you see, the two birds don't agree - make 'em chatter.
Entry 12447
Don't know if dey use de mockin'bird aigs but ah know dey use de mockin'- bird nest. Yo' burn it to ashes, and when yo' burn it to ashes, an' yo' jes' put some sulphur an' saltpeter in it or sulphur an' pep- pah or gunpowders - either of dem three, an' yo' mix a powders with that. An jes' what yo' say it do, it works by what yo' say...
(Give me an example of one thing you could say to it?)
Well, it ain't but one thing yo' kin say, an' den dere's plenty thing yo want to say.... It jes' what yo' want to say, or jes' if yo' have good idea - jes' any feelings tuhwards me, if yo' think ah doin' sompin ah got no business to yo', an' when yo' do dat den yo' tell it whut chew want it to do to me.