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Entry 3161
Take two match sticks an' two needles, two new needles, an' take dese two needles an' stick 'em each into each end of de match stick. An' take a new piece of thread an' tie it [the 2 matches] in a cross, an' hide it up under yore girl friend's bed or somepin like dat. An' dey say she wouldn't have no courage for no guys or nuthin like dat, an' you could walk right in an' ketch 'em right at de work.
Entry 3257
Of co'se I don't believe in it now, I'm gonna tell yo' de troof, but I heard a girl said [and] men said. To keep yo' from havin' any intahco'se wit Womenfolks, dat chuh wife or yore girl frien', whoevah dey might be, kin take a part of yore undahweah, see de part dat be down nex' to yore privates. Dey take dat an', yo' know, git some yore - I don't know wha' choo call it, yo' know jis' lak when it comes aftah yo' havin' intahco'se wit degirls, see. Well, dey kin take a clean piece of homespun - not have nuthin on it, jis' clean homespun - an' take it, yo' know, an' dey'll wipe demselves wit it, see. An' den take de part of yore undahweah where he had it, an' put it all in de same piece an' sew it up wit a bran'-new needle an' some new thread an' weah it. Dey weah it, yo' know, in dey [he doesn't know the name here either]. An' dey say, den yo' can't raise no mo' nature fo' no othah woman outside dem. I know two or three boys cain't even do it, nuthin at all. Cain't do nuthin only wid de ole lady - de wife.
Entry 3466
Now a man connect wit 'is wife or woman, whatsomevah it is. He git a bran'-new piece of yellah cotton, unbleached dey call dat. Don' chew discharge, yolet im discharge anketch, yo see. An' yo' take hit an' use a cose [coarse] stran' of black thread, an' yo' tie dat. Yo' fol' dat piece an yo' tie it. Yo' tie it, yo' tie it till evah piece is offa dat spool of thread. Now yo' lie dat right on de side dat he sleep on an' dat keep 'im home. An' dat keep 'im dat he don' want nobody but chew.
(How do you wrap that thread? Away from you like that?)
[My preceding words are an attempt to avoid a leading question.]
No, yo' wrap it to yo', an' tight as beeswax, until evah stran' is offa de spool. An' den yo' put it straightways, 'cuz it's gonna be stiff aftah it's wound tight, an' right on de side dat chew sleep on. An' dat man don' ca' [care] fo' nobody but chew.
Entry 3482
She kin have him follahin' 'er. Take de seat of 'is underwear an' take an' cut 'er a di'mond out of dat - jes' cut a little place in de seat dat's in de shape of a di'mond. She'll have a connection wit 'i an' git some of 'is discharge an' roll it real tight in dat di'mond dat she cut. Take a little piece of 'is hair an' bind it aroun' dere, take a new thread an' bind it - jes' wrap it aroun' dere an' place it in 'er shoe. She tear de linin' in 'er shoe to git in dere. An' he'll stick aroun' 'er lak baby sticks aroun' 'is mothah when he wants a tit. He won't leave 'er. Sometime I believe my ole lady got me dat way. Yes siree, he ain't goin' aftah nobody an' she can't drive him away.
Entry 3568
Git chew some black thread, an' jes' lak he be's drunk or eithah sleepin', yo' measure 'im. An den when yo' measure 'im yo' double dat thread nine times to yo' an' tie nine knots in it an' tie it in de middle of de [bed] spring, an' yo' got 'im. [Middle of de spring, like center of bed, room, house, etc., is quincunx magic.]
(What will that do to him?)
Make him stay dere an' bring 'is money home.
(Will it take his nature away?)
No sir, not fo' yo' but othah folks - he won't care fo' no othah one but chew.
(For no other women.)
Entry 3615
It's a certain thing about a woman, dey take an' wrap it wit black thread. (What would he take from her? Some of the cloth?) An' he would wrap it wit black thread jes' as tight as he could, an' tie nine knots aroun' it an' put dat in 'is pocket. Dat woman would follah 'im any place he went. (This woman would follow him. He gets her cloth and he wraps black cloth around that.) No, black thread - nine knots.
(And he puts it in his pocket.)
Or aroun' 'is waist.
Entry 4817
Lak yuh'd wanta make two mens fight, fall out chew know. If yuh could git a string of each one's shirttail an' tie it tuhgethah, dey'll have a fuss an' fight.
(These two men would.)
Entry 4825
[A string or thread from clothes, also called raveling, is rather rare. Usually the wearer prefers something more substantial. This raveling, not long enough to reach round the waist, would be too fragile and easily broken. A small piece can be worn in a bag or sewed into a garment frequently used.l Same thin' as dat, or yore ole lady or somepin, yuh know. Yuh don' wan' 'er tuh pay attention tuh no one [she] runnin' aroun'. Yuh take a string an' wear it aroun' yore wais', any of 'er clothes. Wear it aroun' yore wais'.
(Take a string from her clothes, did you say?)
From 'er clothes, any kin' of 'er clothin' - jis' a sock or some of 'er bloom- ahs or somepin dat she wear undah, yuh see. Take it an' wear it aroun' yore wais'.
(And she can't run around.)
Entry 4868
Well, if she wanta git 'im back, yuh see. Anyway, she gits some of 'is - gits 'is shoe sole or some of 'is undahweah, pants he weah nex' tuh 'is skin. An' git dat. Why den, she take an' jis' make a little, little ball, put a little piece enough tuh stick in a bottle. Jis' a little ball about dat much [demonstrates], jis' a little piece yuh undahstan'. Now, take yuh some thread, black silk thread, fine, an' turn de thread pieces all de time tuh yuh [demonstrates]. Yuh see, wrap aroun' de thread, dat thread tuh yuh - all de time so it is coming yore way. Go tuh a stream of watah an' let de watah be comin' yore way. See, yuh meet dis - see, yuh meet dere. Lak yuh comin' disaway [demonstrates] an' de stream come from disaway tuh meet [you], an' yuh throw de bottle an' it will come back tuh yuh. [If you throw the bottle upstream, it wil] come floating downstream to meet you.]
Entry 4869
She'll git sompin dat he wore tuh 'im. An' she git a piece of 'is undahweah, anythin', an' she'll take [and] she wrop it, fold it up. An' she'll take a piece of silk, black thread, an' she'll wrop it tuh 'er 365 times. An' she gits three sticks from de pins [3 stick pins from a new package of pins]. She stick one dat way [demonstrates] an' one dat Way, an' take an' wrop 'em comin' back toward 'er.
(She sticks one in the side of this package?)
Sticks one right lak dat, an' turn aroun' an' stick de othah one right lak dat, an' stick de othah one right by dat one, an' turn 'em back right lak dat [demonstrates].
(Two of them are turned back toward her. Then what does she do with that?)
Put it right in front of de house in a safe place an' call 'is name. Tell 'im tuh come back. Call 'is name three times an' tell 'im tuh come back, come back, [come back].
Entry 4924
(How can you keep this man home?)
Why ah take his dirty sock an' git me some brown sugah an' some sulphuh an' lay 'em down an' turn de foots part up, an' sprinkle dat brown sugah on dere an' de sulphur. Roll 'em up [to you] an' tie an' bury 'em undah mah do'step or in mah bed, in mah mattress. Sew 'em up in mah mattress. (Here's the sock, there's the toe, and there's the heel. How would I roll that up now?) Dis is de toe. Yuh lay 'em bottomside up, de dirty part up, an' yuh take yuh brown sugah an' yuh sprinkle ovah dere on de bottom of de stockin'. Sprinkle yore sulphur on top of dat. An' have yuh a spool of black thread an' yuh roll 'em dis Way [to you]. Roll yore toe up tuh de heel. When yuh git tuh rollin', take yore brown thread [I mean] use black thread an' tie it. Well if yuh haven't got a do'step, lak yore [you are] upstairs [put in mattress].
Entry 4961
Ah'll tell yuh whut ah know 'bout dat - tain't whut ah heered. Ah got a sistah an' 'er husban' lef' 'er. He wuz atter [after] othah wimmins an' he jis' got so fur gone till he went off from 'er. An' she took eithah of 'is socks jis' lak he pulled 'em off, an' she pulled a thread out from de hollah of 'is foot. An' she tied it in nine knots, tied it fo' nine mawnin's.
(Nine knots each morning or one knot a morning?)
One knot a mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' he come home dat night.
(She took a thread out of both of them or one of them?)
One, jis' 'is right stockin'.
Entry 4991
Yuh kin take a needle - lak ah wants tuh put chew in cripple condition, ah buy yuh a bran'-new pair of socks an' take dat needle, an' take me some thread an' git me - Hoodoo. - Conjuration - Witchcraft - Rootwork - some Narciss [Narcissus] Perfume, an' wet dat thread wit dat Narciss Perfume. An' stick dat needle through dem socks dat ah bought fo' yuh nine times - jis' stick dat needle through dere. Pull dat thread through dere, don't leave it in dere - jis' stick it in dere an' pull it through dere nine times. An' den give yuh dose socks an' yuh put dose socks on. Why give yuh de wors' rheumatism, or de wors' pains - yuh won't have de use of yore laigs.
Entry 4992
Yuh kin git 'is socks an' git some new twine thread. An' yuh know, bring it tuh yuh - wrap it [thread] tuhwards, tuh yuh [about the socks] an' take an' sew it [the tied up socks] up in de mattress. Dat will make yuh love her.
Entry 5025
Yuh kin take his name an' yore name tuhgethah. Dat's to keep 'im wit yuh right on. Yuh write his name on some brown papah lak dat brown wrappin' papah. Yuh write his name on [with] indelicate [indelible] pencil - new indelicate pencil. An' yuh put it [name] between 'is socks an' yuh sew it up wit No.8 black thread - de man's dirty socks. Yuh take dat brown papah an' yuh cut it jis' lak seat [bottom or sole] of dat sock. Yuh write his name on dat paper [cut in the shape of a sole]. Yuh write jore name on dat nine times, but joo write yore name on top of 'is fer nine times. Yuh put it between dem socks. Yuh sew dat up wit No.8 black thread. Yuh take drawin' powdah, yuh take steel dust, an' roll it up through dem socks; an' put it [socks] in yer mattress, an' he sleeps on dat. Dat'll keep 'im from goin' away from yeh.
Entry 5048
Jis' say, if yuh wanta bust up [broken-home remedy], see. A woman kin take his socks an' take her stockin's an' put 'em tuhgethah, heel tuh heel an' toe tuh toe. Use de lef' foot. Some say de right but de lef' foot is bes'. An' yo' put some sugah in dere an' some peppah, black peppah: if it's white person, put white peppah; an' if it's a black person, put black peppah. An' den yuh put a little cayenne peppah in it, see. An' den yuh roll it to yuh, lak dat [demonstrates]. An' aftah yuh roll it tuh yuh, den yuh git chew a bran'-new co'd [cord] string an' yuh wrap it nine times.
(How do you wrap that?)
Tuh yuh. Yuh roll it tuh yuh an' wrap it tuh yuh. An' den git chew a needle an' git chew some red silk thread an' sew it on each end, nine stitches. Pull it tuh yuh all de time dis way [demonstrates]. Pull it tuh yuh all de time.
(You put nine stitches on each end.)
Dat's tuh bring peace.
(What do you do with that then?)
Well, yuh kin wear it in yore pocket or put it where yuh kin evah day jis' dress it. Yuh know, jis' take yore han', don' have tuh put nuthin on it. Jis' take yore han' or jis' put a little perfume on it - good-luck perfume, any kinda good-luck perfume an' jis' rub it in yore han'. An' den yuh kin sleep on it. Or yuh kin put it where nobody won' go by [near] it but chew. See.
(That is for them to live together in peace.)
Yes.
Entry 5483
Like it's yo'd have a girl frien' an' some man would come an' take her away from yo'. Prob'ly yo'd be married tuh her, an' some man would git between yo' an' yore wife. Now yo' wanta bust dat up. Yo'd trail him un- til dey'd cross a sandy place or real soft dirt - somewhere dey'd make a track. Yo'd git each one of dem lef'-foot track. Git chew prob'ly a piece of metal or piece of newspapah dat's nevah been used - anything dat yo' kin scrape up dem tracks wit'out breakin' 'em. Git chew a piece of new [yellow = unbleached] cotton an' place de heels tuh- gethah, both toes leavin' each othah. An' git chew some powdah [gunpowder] an' put it in between 'em, bind dat real tight. Git chew some silk thread dat chew kin wrap it good, dat it will have a good compression, an' light dat powdah. Put chew fuse dat it'll light dat powdah lak one of these fiah-crackahs, so when it goes off it blows dem tracks. Dat sends dem, one one way, one de othah way. Dey'll nevah be nuthin else tuhgethah.
Entry 5505
Yo' kin take her right foot track. Now, lak yo' tryin' tuh make love an' dis girl doesn't want tuh make it wit yo'. An' jes' lak it seem yo' couldn't make it up wit 'er, an' in kinda speakin' tuh 'er, yo' goin' try tuh make it some- how wit 'er. Well jes' take her right track den an' jes' take yo' a flannen rag, yo' know de red flannen rag, an' jes' git 'er right toe track outa dat toe where dat dig up. Git dat. Git about as much as yo' kin pick up [with your fingers] an' put it in dat flannen an' do [tie] it up. An' git some red peppah an' put it in dat, an' git some of 'er hair. If yo' don't do it jes' den, it may be a month or it may be a yeah yo' gotta work. Git one stran' of 'er hair out 'er haid. Don't git de lef' foot, git de right one. An' when yo' git dat, put it in dis rag an' jis' wrap it up. Sew it up. See. Well, aftah yo' sew it, make a knot. See, right befo' yo' git roun', make nine knots in it; an' de las' one at de end of yore sewin' let it be nine knots. See, jes' make nine knots befo' yo' close up de end. See. An' jes' 'ninte [anoint] it good befo' yo' go tuh sewin' wit dis. Let it be a cloth string or cotton thread string. Well, jes' use spirits of turpentine, jes' ninte [anoint] it good wit dat, an' jes' make de nine knots an' den yo' got evahthin'.
(What do you do with that bag then?)
Jes' tote it in yore right pocket - keep it. An' she'll come tuh yo', BOY. [This is the second time I have been called boy.]
Entry 5808
Now, yore hair - see now, yo' kin take yore hair. Yo' kin take yore hair - a person kin take yore hair. She kin take yore hair an' she kin take one stran' of it, jis' say one stran', an' double it an' kinda twist it an' put a silk thread aroun' it. Take dat bair an' put it into somepin lak alcohol. Keep it in dat alcohol 24 hours. Take it out an' weah it in yore pocket, an' yo' nevah have no mo' good sense. Yo'll jis' - yore haid will be jis' worryin' yo' all de time. People been callin' dere,
[you] say, "Well, ah got a bad headache. Mah haid worryin' me." Doctors [M.D.'s]
lagu it, but yet - still dey don't know whut it is. Ain't no good to do, unless dey could git dat hair an' do 'way wit it.
Entry 5876
Dey could run yo' prackly [practically] crazy. Dey'll go an' git, ketch a fish outa de watah, a live fish an' git a strand of thread dat nevah been used. Tie dat hair to dat thread an' pump a needle wit dat in it through dat fish tail, de end of his tail. An' carry it fo'ty or fifty miles from dere an' turn 'im loose in de watah. An' dat is a crazy man. He'll go dat way an' when yo' find 'im he'll be dataway - crazy. An' de first days aftah yo' drop dat fish down in dat watah, he's gone. But chew do's dat on de waste of de moon. (You just take a strand of the man's hair and you tie it up in a string, a piece of thread that has never been used. Then pull it through this needle and then you run this needle through the fish's tail and let the man's hair go through the fish's tail.) Yessuh.
Entry 5880
Dey say dey take three strand of yore hair an' dey would put dat in a piece of brown papah [for the black victim]. Dey would wrap some white bread Wit a piece of candy dat wus made up of coconut [sweets to entice victim's spir- it.] Dis thing is all wrapped togethah, [with] dis thread, an' den it would be cast behin' somepin dat wouldn't move, lak a piano, or some of dose thin's. Den fer nine mawnin's yo' go to dis place an' make a wish ovah dis thin', an' it would prob'ly make yo' suffah wit headaches, or prob'ly make yo' lose yore nid. Worry yo' so - evahthin' would worry, yo' jes' git vor- ried all de tlme. Dat is a thin' what dey clain Would do dat to yo' - wit chure hair.
Entry 5929
[Well, I tell yo' [about hair] in makin' love, an' den yo' kin take hair an' make 'em love yo'. I'll tell yo' mah experience from makin' love an' takin' hair. Take a twist in de mole of she [her] haid - yo' know, de soft part of de haid where de baby's haid is jointed [joined]. [This soft part is also called the soft spot - see FACI 1st ed., Nos.2593-2594,2736,2762.] Yo' kin take a twist in de mole of she haid, like dat. Yo' kin slip out a piece 'bout dis long, about a quartah of a inch of she hair, an' wrap it up in a silk twine, po' Hearts Cologne on it, roll it up an' put it in de sweatband of yo' hat. Weah dat. Why she go but she come back, regardless of where she go, an' he do nuthin [else]. Co'se she - she'll Devah have no love fo' him.
Entry 5973
If someone wuz tuh take yore hair tuh run yo' crazy, dey'll begin tuh take yore hair - takes nine stran's of yore hair. Dey wouldn't take ovah nine stran's of it. Dey'll tie around it de third time - take it jes' lak yo' wrap yore hair wit a string, a thread wrop aroun' it de third time. An' dey'll tie nine knots in it. Den dey'll take it an' take it at 'leven a'clock in de mawnin' - no, dey go in de mawnin' at 'leven a'clock, an' be dere at 'leven a'clock, to any runnin' watah an' throw it in dere. Dat's jes' all tuh git chw 'vay from heah. Throw it in dere, says, "Take him away, take him away, take him aaay. Nevah return. He's trouble long enough." Yo' goin' leave dere.
Entry 5994
Git chure hair an' put chure hair wit a needle, a steel needle. Jes' dt it from de mole of yore haid - be sure dat yo' git de hair from de mole of de haid an' wrap it wit a steel nee- dle, an' put it in a little bag an' put dat hair, an' a little peppah or somepin in it an' sew it in de bag. Dyput it up ovah de sill of a door, dat hair. Dey got chew wrapped up de way want chew, dat hair an' peppah, an' sew it in a red flannel an' dey keep it re, an' de thread, [use] red thread.
Entry 6013
Dey have hair in dat - dey git a lock of a lady's hair, men usin' dis. An' git a lock of lady's hair an' den dey git dis lodestone an' dey gits nine needles an' Hearts Perfume. Dat's whut ah heard now. An' den dey wrap it, feeds [see p.578] dat thing wit whiskey, an' wrap it in a ball, an' tie dat black string aroun' it.
(What do they wrap it up in?)
Flannel, red flannel, an' den put de black thread aroun' it an' put a string aroun' dat, an' let it hang down in dere bosom or breast an' wear it.
(What is that supposed to do?)
Dat will draw love.
Entry 6014
Yo' kin take a person's hair now, an' yo' kin take yo' nine needles up an' down [demonstrates], an' wrap dat hair between 'em wit black thread. (One needle is pointed that way and one that way.) Dat's right. Head an' tail dey call it. Yo' take dat an' wrap dat an' put chew - git chew a little red flannel bag an' git chew a dime's wut [worth] of lodestone dust an' put in dat, an' put dat in yore pocket. Yo' have de headache de balance of yore days.
Entry 6047
Yo' kin take a person's hair an' yo' kin run 'em crazy.
(How do you do that?)
Yo' kin take a person's hair ag'in, but all de time take it from de mole, see. De mole of anybody's head. Fact, dat's a tendah spot about a person in de head, is de mole. Anybody yo' kin git to, git dere hair, yo' git it from de mole. Yo' gits dere hair, if yo' wants to git rid of 'em. Yo' take dat hair an' yo' git yo' what yo' call - we call it prickly pear - wit de stickahs on it, dey're green [unripe ones are]. Yo' git yo' one of dose pieces of prickly pear an' yo' lays dat down an' yo' cuts it as thin as yo' pos- sibly kin do ft. Yo' cuts yo' nine pieces of it. An' yo' try de bes' yo' know bou, when yo' plat dat hair, to plat dat hair wit dat nine pieces of de prickly pear [demonstrates]. (YOU'RE SORT OF WEAVING THAT HAIR AROUND AS YOU ARE DEMONSTRATING WITH YOUR FINGERS.)
[Informant continues demonstration.]
(You weave that around?)
Yeah, DAT HAIR HAS GOT TO COME IN BETWEEN EACH PIECE OF DAT DERE PRICKLY PEAR. SEE.
(I SEE, AS YOU'D MAKE A SANDWICH?)
Yes, sir. Now, den when yo' git dat in dere, yo' take yo' a piece of black thread an' yo' wrap each one of 'em jis' lak dat [demonstrates]. But it's all goin' to be togithah when yo' git through. Yo' wrap each one, an' as yo' wrap it close - now, when yo' git it all close togithah, yo' take yo' white thread m' yo' come disaway wit it. See, yo' wind up on dere an' den yo pull it dis- away, an' yo' wind up on dis end, an' yo' cross it disaway an' yo' come back. Den yo' wind it up ag'in dis way, see.
[I SUMMARIZE LAST DEMONSTRATION.]
(You wind that black thread around it one way.)
One way.
(And then you take the white thread and wrap it around the other way.)
T'othah way.
(As you would tie up a package.)
Yes, yo' wrap dat white thread de othah way, yo' see. Now, when yo' git dat done, yo' take an' yo' git yo' a piece of de reddest flannel yo' kin find - which flannel don't git no reddah, I don't think. Yo' wrap dat up in dere [the flan- nel] an' dat party's name. Yo' take dat name an' yo' git yo' a indelible pen- cil an' yo' write dat name down on dere fo' nine times disaway [demonstrates].
(Nine times that way.)
An' nine times disaway [demonstrates].
(Make it in [the form of] a cross.)
Makin' it across, yo' see. Now, when yo' do dat - aftah yo' do dat, yo' dig a crench where dey goin' to pass [over] dat, an' yo' bury it right where yo' know dey goin' to pass. Yo' bury it an' bury it as deep as yo' kin. Yo' bury it an' leave it dere, an' when yo' bury it an' git ready to walk ovah dat, yo' jis' say: In de Name of de Father, Son an' Holy Ghost.
(What do you do - you say?)
When yo' walkin' away - when yo' bury it an' are walkin' away, yo' jis' say: Ie de Name of de Father.
(In the Name of the?)
In de Name of de Father. See, when yo' walk away, yo' say: In de Name of de Rtrer. Now, when yo' git jis' about ten feets away from dere, yo' says: de Son, 'de Holy Ghost. See. An' say: We'll depart. An' dat's dat person dat I'm dOIn' de harm tO. AN' DEY'LL GO MAYBE TO DAT RIVAH DERE, JUMP OVAHBO'D AN' DROWN; ° DEY MAYBE TAKE A GUN AN' BLOW DERE BRAINS OUT. See. Somepin goin' to be doe. Dey'll do somepin to demself to kill demself. If dey lose a dollah, dey y take an' kill dereself by losin' dat dollah.
Entry 6101
Take people's hair an' wrap it up in some red flannel an' wrap it wit black thread an' put it up ovah yo' do' an' run peoples crazy. (Do you put it up over your own door or over their door?) Ovah dere do'. (In other words you take some of my hair and put it over my door and run me crazy - make me lose my
[ind.)
Entry 6122
An' den, say fo' instance, if dey wants to, someone wants to make yo' love 'em, make yo' lak 'em, think about 'em, yo' undahstan', see; aw well, dey would take dat [hair] an' git some silk thread, yo' undah- stan', an' put it in dat hair an' turn [wrap] it to dem. See, wind it, turn it to me all de time, so dat draws yore attention to me, yo' see. Yo' kin do dat, yo' undahstan'. All dey have to do is dey put dat, dey wear dat in dere shoes, yo' undahstan'. Well, durin' dat time, dat will cause dose people to be thinkin' about chew, yo' undahstan'. Why dat calls dere attention towards yo'.
Entry 6588
Now yo' take a scorpion, he's poison. Now yo' got sompin ag'in me an' yo' got sompin ag'in a man on King Street. Yo' may got sompin ag'in a man on Spring Street. Well, now, ah'm de fust [first] one yo' wanta git nex' tuh. Dis man on Spring Street de secon' man yo' wanta git nex' tuh. Well, yo'll take dat SCOrpion an' kill 'im. WHEN YO' DONE KILL DAT SCORPION, YO' BRING 'IM HOME HALF LIVE. YO' AIN'T KILL 'IM ALTUHGETHAH. He half live when yo' bring 'im home, but yo' finish killin' 'im when yo' bring 'im in yore house. Aftah yo' finish killin' 'im, de last lick yo' hit 'im yo' know yo' goin' kill 'im, yo' goin' call mah name. Yo' call mah name. Ah'm yore enemy. Ah'm yore dead [deadly] enemy. Ah'm de one yo' Wants tuh git nex' tuh altuhgethah. But when yo' kill dat scorpion an' call mah name, ah'm goin' take sick. Now dat man ovah heah on Spring Street, yo' goin' call 'is name by dat scorpion's tail. Yo' goin' cut dat scorpion's tail off jis' about dat much [demonstrates]. Well, yo' goin' tuh hold dat scorpion an' yo' wrap dat wit silk thread, silk thread. An' [as] yo' hit it, yo' cast it in yore yard an' say, "Go, yo' bastard, yo'." An' he's gone.
(And would it do anything to the person living on King Street, then?)
Dat man on King Street goin' work wit me.
Entry 7045
Take a fish - take a mullet fish tail an' anybody drinkin' likkah... (A mullet fish?) Yes sir, take de tip end of de tail, an' take a black string an' tie it roun' dat tail, an' put it in a bottle of whiskey. An' let it set all night an' let it 'solve [dissolve] an' take it out. An' anybody git a drink of dat, dey won't drink any mo - stop 'em from drinkin'.
Entry 7843
Dey kin go out dere an' git a handful of graveyard dirt up off of dat grave, an' bring it - if dey Wan' choo tuh leave de house where yo' live - bring it an' take nine NEEDLES an' wrap 'em tuhgethah wit a li'le [small amount of] thread, an' stick 'em down at yuh steps, an' sprinkle dat grave- yard dirt aroun' de house where yo' walk ovah it.
Entry 7948
Git a brand-new needle an' thread an' git de undahtakah to sharpen it. An' if a woman dat 'er husban' is bad, an' if she kin git tuh dis woman dat is runnin' wit 'im, take a brand-new needle, an' thread dat de undahtakah shroud dat dead body wit. An' sew about six stitch- es in it, an' take dat needle an' thread back, 'fo' her husban' git tuh dere, an' sew dat place up in 'is pocket. An' if he runnin' out [with the women], dat'll run 'em away. (She simply runs this needle and thread through the dead person's clothing, and then brings that thread and needle back to her house, and she repairs her husband's clothing. Then when he goes to this woman's house, it will break them up?) Yes, run 'er away.
(The husband will come back to his wife?)
Yes.
Entry 8514
(What are you going to do when you get the coconut?)
Whut chew goin' do wit de coconut? Yo' goin' empty de watah [milk or juice] out de coconut, dry it out good. See, don' leave no watah in dere, let it drain good. An' den put jis' a li'le steel dust an' a piece of lodestone, an' yo' orite dat name nine times. Write his name nine times. Take dat spool of thread, No.8 black, an' wrap dat comin' tuh yuh [saying] "Ah want chew tuh stay heah. Yo nst stay an' yo' gotta stay. Ah want chew heah." Yo' put dat intuh dat coconut an' yo' take a li'le stoppah an' yo' cut de stoppah off, an' shet dat up an' bury it undah de steps. See. (Is there any special way you must bury it under the steps?) No, yo'jis'.... Yo'see, yo' have tuh bury it up lak dat [demonstrates]. Yo' bury it up lak dat, but de coconut is in de ground. See. Now ah did dat. (What will that do then?) Well, dat brings 'is mind, makes 'im stay dere, an' him an' her been tuhgethah evah since.
Entry 8576
Take yo' a thread string an' put chew nine knots in it an', as ah would say, use a cat an' a dog, an' yo' git some hair from de back of dere neck, an' jes' make a bundle of it, yo' know, altogether an' put chew nine knots in de thread an' bury it right in dat do' there. An' yo'll nevah come inside chere. Yo'll always pass by, yo' wouldn't nevah have no visitors to stop heah.
(That's to keep somebody from coming in or to make them leave the house?)
Dat's if yo' heah, yo'll leave heah an' yo' won't nevah come back heah; or if: it's anybody yo' don't want tuh come in heah, yo' do dat an' dey won't come in heah. But yo' should have dey name, de person name in that. (Now you tie the nine knots in the thread after you have wrapped it in this bundle?) [That was not a sensible thing to say, even though informant's words about the knots are ambigious.] Yeah, yo' tie nine knots in de thread an' put it in de bundle wit de hair of de dog an' de cat.
Entry 8609
If a man got a wife an' she's away from him an' he wants tuh bring her to him, he gits cinnamon an' he gits sugah an' he git honey an' he puts it in dat lamp an' he'll write his indivi- dual name down nine times on a piece of papah straight one aftah de othah... [demonstrates]. (The first name first and the last name last.) Yassuh. An' then he'll write his name down across that with a indelible pencil, an' he takes dat papah...
[I interrupt.]
(How many times does he write his own name?)
His name nine times right cross hers. Den he takes dat papah an' he folds it three times towards him. An' he'll git him some No.8 black thread an' he wraps it roun' dat papah an' ties it up, an' put it in dat rag an' burn it [in the lamp]. An' that'll draw de individual to him.
Entry 8612
Yo' kin take a person's name, if yo' lovin' a man an' he don't ca' [care] fo' yo'. Yo] take yore name an' write it on a piece of papah first an' yo' write his name all 'cross on it, an' fold it up an' put salt, saltpeter, an' bluestone an' wrap it round nine times wit white thread an' go tuh yore lamp fo' nine days.
(What will that do?)
Dat will call 'im back an' make 'im come home.
Entry 8635
Now, ef ah see a person livin' good togethah an' ah want 'em confused, ah kin take a lemon. Take a lemon an' cut it in half, write their two names, the woman and the man. Then ah'd put it in there, saying, Depart, be confused. Then sew it back together with black thread and bury that. And that will cause that party, that woman to be con- fused. (You write their names on a piece of paper and put this paper in the lemon and sew it up.) An' sew it back up.
Entry 8641
Well, if a woman's got a man - well jis' like I've got a husband an' a woman wants to break me an' my husband up. I'll say like that. Yo' get a lemon an' get yo' some cayenne pepper an' get yo' some gunpowder. Yo' take that lemon, you wouldn't cut it half in two, you only cut that top around the top, yo' know, an' yo' raise it up like that and yo' bore a hole in that lemon. (You cut the top like a lid and you bore a hole under that?) Yes. Then yo' will write this man's name nine times, and yours nine times over it, an' yo' stick that down in that lemon an' put that gunpowder - that gunpowder's for confusion, that what's it for - an' the red pepper. Then yo' would take that lid an' put it back over there like that. Yo' get yo' some black thread an' yo' tie that lemon tight, so to be sure that nuthin that's in there won't come out, an' put it up over the door anywhere. An' when [as] that lemon dries up, they'll fuss an' fight an finally dey'll break up an' never go back together again. (Do you put your husband's name in there and your name, or your husband's name and her name?) My husband's name and her name.
Entry 8646
[To rub is an important magic rite we often ignore, despite our early acquaintance with Aladdin's lamp. In some cures rubbing - up or down, in a cir- cle, or number of times - shows its own importance. Even so, in the first edi- tion of Folklore from Adams County Illinois, the word mub does not appear in the Index! How could I have missed the well-known couplet: When your left hand itches Rub it on wood And it will come good. (No.3356) Moreover, there are other examples of rubbing in this division about HANDS: Nos. 3339-3342.] De shoe sole - if yo' don' want somebody at chure house, take de shoe sole an' yo' rub it till de bottom of de foot git hot. Yo' call de person name nine times. Yo' git a lemon an' yo' Write de name down nine times wit a indelible pencil. Sew it up wit black thread an' bury it undah any step or do' whut dey gotta come by. An' bury it undah dere. An' everytime dey go out, yo' take dat left-foot shoe an' yo' rub it until de shoe sole git hot an' call dere name nine times.
(Whose shoe sole do you rub?)
Anybody dat yo' don' want at chure house. Any individual, woman or man, any- body dat yo' don' want dere.
(And the name you say...?)
Yo' jes' writes it down nine times wit a indelible pencil.
(And put that in a lemon?)
In a lemon an' sews it up wit black thread, No.8 black thread, coarse black thread, an' then bury it.undah a do'step, or a step, anywhere where dey gotta come in.
(That is to keep them away from your house?)
Keep 'em away from your house.
Entry 8976
Yo' use dem needles an' nails - well, nails. Ah'll put nails an needles togethah. Fo' instance, yo' have a case in court. Yo' have, probably three or fo' witnesses against yo' an' yo' afraid dat when dey appear dat dere testimony will convict yo'. Now, nine mornings befo' de day of de trial, yo' go to de market an' yo' get yo' a beef tongue. Yo' get de beef tongue an' yo' come back home an' yo' split it down de middle. Yo' take dese witness' name, also yore witness, an' yo' write dere name down, nine times, an' place it inside of the tongue. Get yo' this No.8 thread - yo' get black an' white an' yo' take a needle an' yo' sew dis up in dere, an' as yo' sew dat, yo' curse it. As yo' sewin' yo' cursin'. (Which do you sew with, the black or the white?) Well, it's known as No.8 thread. It can be white or black. (Oh, I see.) But like if it was a negro an' have white witnesses against 'im, yo'd use white an' black thread. See, like mixed. (What if it's a colored man and he had negro witnesses against, him, then what?) Well, he would use black thread. Yo' take this black thread an' sew it an' cuss at 'im. Sew an' cuss at 'im. Evah time yo' sew it, cuss 'im. Sew dat up. Den yo' take nine needles an' drive dem in dere an' curse it all de time. Aftah yo' take nine needles, yo' take nine tenpenny nails an' jug in dere, all de way up to dere. Just take dat an'...
(You drive the nails into the tongue?)
Yeah, drive dem in dis tongue, all.de way through dis tongue.
(I didn't get that word. Do you jerk them or jump them in?)
Yo' push 'em in.
(Oh! All right. I didn't understand what you said.)
[I am trying not to offend! Remember the hermaphrodite in New Orleans and my use of the word sporting-woman - see p.1685,5 lines from bottom, fol.] Yeah, yo' push 'em an' den aftah yo' take dat an' yo' dig a hole. Dig a hole deep enough fo' yo' to git say around abount 25 pounds or 50 pounds of ice. An' yo' put de ice at de bottom an' put dis tongue in between an' freeze dat tongue fo' nine days an' nine nights. An' de day of de trial - whenevah yo' think de ice will run out, yo' just go back an' yo' put ice on it. Yo' keep dat tongue froze. As long as yo' keep dat tongue froze just as hard, yo' know like when yo' freeze sompin it git real hard - as long as yo' have dat tongue froze, it will work. Yo' keep de tongue froze. De morning dat yo' are goin' to trial, get up - just like yo' get up out of yore bed, don't make it up, leave it. Take yore undahclothes, yo' turn dem on de wrong side, even yore socks. Put on yore shoes an' clothes an' yo' come on out. Den yo' go to court. If dat tongue is froze when yo' go to court, to trial an' get up on de stand, dey'll call de witness to de stand, it'll freeze his tongue. He can't talk like he wants to. He'll git up dere an' he'll make some mistakes. He'll git up dere an' he'll talk, he'll be talkin' against yo', but de way dat he'll talk, it'll be in yore favor. See. He'll sort of stutter an' can't get de thing right like he wants, yo' know. Dey will throw it [case] out then.
Entry 9718
Take a nail, a ten-penny nail, jes' about de height of dis [demon- strates] an' cut it off. Cut off de top [head] of it an' wrap it [headless nail] aroun' wit a piece of black thread nine times. An' stick in de cornah of 'er house an' call 'er name, an' in nine days she'll return. Regardless tuh where she is, she'll come back. Her min' jes' git worried up an frettin' so she cain't stay [away] an' she have tuh come.
(Cut off the top, the head of that nail?)
Cut it off. [This rite could have been placed under NAME, Pp.3497-3589, v.4.]
Entry 9860
An' yo' take dat same frog an' yo' tie 'im tuh a lightwood [pine] splintah of a tree struck wit de lightenin'. Yo' git a splintah, a fat splintah [pine splinter filled with pitch] an' yo' git chew some black thread - black silk thread - an' yo' tie dat frog aroun' dat. Yo' don't kill 'im. Aroun' dat splintah. An' yo' buries dis frog tuh de do' [of] de girl [you] is tryin' tuh make or marry an' yo'll soon marry dis girl, or yo' an' 'er will be sweethearts an' stay tuhgethah - live tuhgethah. [The splinter here is not the ordinary small sliver that runs into your finger; it can be large enough to hold a frog and much larger, a stick of wood to burn in the stove. This splinter should come from the actual wood split by lightning, not from any other part of the tree.]
Entry 9943
Yo' got a enemy an' yo' don't want 'em an' [or] yo' jis' lak a man come in an' take yuh wife. Now, it's two ways tuh do it. Yo' ketch a toadfrog dat hops an' yo' take a brass pin an' scratch 'er left laig. An' yo' git a raw [not spun or twisted] thread. Tie yuh 9 knots in it. Scratch de left laig an' ketch 9 drops of blood, see. All right, yo' tie it [thread with blood] on de hind right laig an' yo' meet de sun before it rises in de mawnin' [you do this before sunrise]. An' make a wish, call dis person's name an' turn yer haid toward de rivah [the Mississippi] an' tell 'uh [her] tuh go. Call it three times jis' lak it's Mary, say: Mary go! Mary go! Mary go! Well, de way dat frog go [after you turn him loose] dat's de way whoevah it is vill go.
Entry 10592
Yo' go an' yo' ketch yo' a leather-wing bat an' yo' cut him open while he's alive an' yo' take his heart out. Yo' take red silk thread an' red flannel, yo' know, tie it up wit dat. An' yo' use Heart Cologne on it an' yo' always be lucky. Dat's right.
Entry 10594
(How do you do that?)
Take a brand-new piece of silk. Ketch that bat, cut him open while he alive. Take the heart out of him and take that brand-new piece of silk [ribbon] and cut it [the size you need], Wash that bat's heart off and put it in there. And take it and wrap it up, and sew it up with pink thread - pink thread. And take it, if you don't want to make nine knots in it, and wear it around - let it drop right down, right down here [demonstrates] below your heart.
(Wear it around your neck so it will hang down near your heart?)
Yeah, yeah. And if you doesn't want to do that, why you take it and tie it [usually to the wrist or on the arm] and shoot dice with this hand [demonstrates].
(With your right hand.)
Yeah, with your right hand. You take it and tie it around [right wrist or a arm], and you always good for seven licks.
(Seven licks.) [Seven successive throws or attempts.]
Seven licks. After you've had them seven licks, why, you pass the dice. When they get back to you, you can taken 'em up, you good for [another] seven licks.
Entry 10893
Take some of yore hair an' wrap it up wit some of your dfscharge an' put it on a dog's back or either a cat. Jis' take a strand of thread an' take yore hair an' tie it in a little knot right to their [the dog's] hair. (Tie to them in the back and the back of a dog?) Yessuh. (Well, what is going to ' happen then?) Well, the dog runs - he goes about an' dat puts chew tuh walkin' an' den yo' jis' wander on away.
(And the cat the same way?)
Yes. (That is all you have to do, use this hair and this discharge and tie it. What do you mean by discharge?) [I have discussed this problem elsewhere.] Yes. Well, it's jis' lak yo' know, yo' know if yo' have a interco'se, yo' see. (You do that if you want to get rid of the person? Who does this, the woman to the man or the man to the woman?) They both kin do it - de either one de same way.
Entry 11629
You take this feesh, you split it open just like you gonna gut it. You open that feesh and then you take that feesh and you puts the man's name in there and you fix it. Put it...
(Wait a minute! Don't leave anything out. What about his name now?)
You take his name...
(Yes?)
And you put his name in de feesh...
(Wait a minute! What about his name?)
[I must have turned off machine accidentally because I repeat what informant says.]
(Ah, nine times. All right now. All right.)
Yes,1 nine times you puts the name in - on a piece of paper into the feesh.
(All right.)
You takes the feesh and you covers this feesh back up whole again. You takes the feesh and you takes a string - a piece of thread No.8 black - and you just tie it all over on that until you gets it together tight. Then you take the full length of the feesh and you put it in the ground just like it is. And then in the ninth day, if you see this party, he'll give you the tale about it, how he would be on the wandering on the drag. He'll never be able to make no kind of any way - no successful at all - with dat feesh.
Entry 11856
To make the man stay home, you takes a piece of the strand of the hair right in the mole of the head, and get you two copper cents - but let it be two women's faces.
(Two pennies that have a woman on them. All right.)
And take the strand of the hair and then put it in between the women's faces. You get a piece of string or thread [demonstrates].
(You place these two pennies face to face.)
Face to face.
(And put that hair between them. All right.)
And then you wind the thread all around it until it holds together. Then you take a bag and you put it in a little bag with your name and his name in there, wrapped up in a single. paper, and every time you take a drink, you gotta give it something to drink. [There are a number of these rites in HOODOO of- fering food or drink or both to absent person.] (Water or liquor?)
Entry 12282
Well, whenevah yo' wanta tie up a person, yo' don't want 'em to have success, yo' put so many knots in a raw cotton thread an' put turpentine on it, an' yo' read ovah it de 22nd Psalms. Read ovah it nine days an' then yo' put that string right behin' there [points to door]. (Behind the door?) Yes.
Entry 12283
I've heard that they take a string, one that you've worn, and take it and get hold of it, and tie a knot in it and name the knot, and ever knot is named, and they tie so many knots in that string; and then they take those knots and put them down where the individual has to walk over them. And after he's walked over 'em as many times as there are knots in that string, then that individual will become confused in his busi- ness affairs and also in any kind of work that he has to do, and he gits so he can't do it.
Entry 12292
Dat's in de lines of castin' a spell upon a person. Go tuh work an ties 36 knots, if yo' wanta cast a spell upon a person. Put a spell upon a per- son, ties thirty-six knots. Take a strand of thread and tie 36 knots an' let 'em be three inches apart. Dose knots, let 'em be three inches apart 'sposed tuh be in dat thread. An' yo' wil] throw dat thread, after yo' git dose 36 knots tied in it, why den yo'll throw dat thread ovah yore haid an' don't look back. An' yo'll step out de road - anywhere's dere a road - from de middle of de road, throw dat thread ovah yore haid an' don't look back. An' dat will really, de fac' 'bout it, suh, will give dem a purtty tight time. Make 'em crazy - whushy in dey mind.
(How do you know you've got the right person when you are tying those knots?)
Why dere 36 knots! "Cos' yo' know yo' absolutely got de right person.
Entry 12343
Tuh git a job, yo' jis' have tuh dress yo'self an' ah tell yo' jis' whut chew have tuh do. Yo' have tuh dress yo'self wit lodestone an' quicksilvah an' Jockey Club Perfume - both togethah. Ah tell yo' jis' how yo' do now. Yo' git chew a red piece of flannel aftah yo' beat it all up dere to- gethah. Git chew a red piece of flannel an' den take a thread outa yore sock. See, jis' lak yo' got a pair of socks, but let it be a pair of socks yo' done worn amn' take a thread from dat sock an' tie it aroun' dis, an' den befo' yo' go in dere, yo' know, yo' kin'a run yore han's lak dis [demonstrates]. Yo' see, yo' rub yore han' lak dis an' den when he [boss] git tuh talkin' tuh yo', yo' have tuh kinda hold yore face lak dat. An' when yo' go, yo'll kin'a throw yore fingahs lak yo' kinda throwin' yore fingahs tuh him yo' know, an' he'll git de odor of it all right. Dat Jockey Club Perfume dere. The're [there are] two chances tuh one yo' won' be turned down.
(You rub this bag in your hand?)
Dat's right.
Entry 12511
Yo' cut a hole in de middle of it, de red onion. Yo' cut a hole in de middle of it, see, an' yo' take a cord string an' tie around it. An' yo' put sugah down at de end of dat red onion an' yo' tie it at chure front do', up ovah yore do', an' dat's tuh keep peace in yore house. [There are several ways to prepare this onion, a fairly small one.]
Entry 13232
All right, ah'm gonna tell yo'. Yo' take de sock, de dirty sock. Yo' take de seven steak. Yo' git a little seven steak wit a number seven on it. [A seven steak or 7 steak is a T-bone steak, its bone shaped something like a 7!]
[It took me some time to identify the steak!]
(Where do you get that?)
[I must have thought this was a stake with No.7 on it, something from a hoo- doo shop!] At de market. Yo' git de raw meat. Git a box of salt an' a box of Epsom salts, red peppah. Git a spool of black thread. [Don't forget] cookin' salt, cayenne peppah. [Informant does not complete this holding two-persons-together rite. These articles are put in man's soiled sock and tied with a piece of the new black thread. We now come to the separating-two-persons rite.1 Yo' wanta break this person's footsteps [that is, separate two persons but using their footsteps] or break 'em up with that person an' - yo' write their names nine times across [you write his name down 9 times and then cross them with her names 9 times] an' yo' put it. An' then you'll bury it in yore yard, yo' see.
(That heals them up.)
Entry 13334
(How Would you fix [put a spell on] her?)
Well, ah tell you. Ah'd ketch me a little sparrah - see, ketch me a little sparrah alive, and ah'll git me a little fat from a cow or fat from hog - sompin like dat - or fat from a chicken, eny kin' fat chew know to make some grease an' fry dese birds, see. I'll git dem fat an ah'll fry dem birds, see. Fry dem birds an' ah'll take a little piece of new homespun cloth, see. An' ah'll take dat homespun an' ah'll take dat grease, an' pour it onto dat homespun, see. An' after ah take dat an' pour 'em onto dat homespun, why ah'll git another [O.K.] piece of cloth an' ah'll wrop [wrap] it see. An' den ah'll take a needle an' a spool of thread wot [what] nevah beer used an' sew dat up. See, sew it up tight with dat cloth wit de grease on it, so it can't even ketch air. An' ah'll stick dat in de mattress right where she sleep at, see. Ah'll git a little Hearts Cologne an' den ah'll put a little sweet spirit of niter, see. An' ah'll pour a little bit of dat on her, see.
(On the woman herself.)
Throw a little sweet spirit of niter in front of her and a little Hearts Cologne in her back, on her right shoulder. An' she'll think the world, de sun rise an' [go] down on me.
(That is the [another] way you will get her.)
Entry 877
Well, ah know of a man once he wus poisoned. He got poisoned by his wife. His wife given dis poison to her two oldest daughters to give him. Well, dis man's life lingered a good length of time befo' he died. A week befo' he died dey went to git somebody tuh see if dey could do him any good. Well, after gittin' dis man, dey were too late - dis sick man he wus too fur gone, but this man tells this man's brother that wus sick, he said that his brother wus too fer gone, dat he couldn't do him any good now, but he could git dese two persons that give this man this trick, an' two yeahs aftah dis man was buried, dey would be buried. Well, de first yeah aftah buryin' dis man - nine months aftah dis man wus buried, dis man's oldest daughter wus buried, an' in de next nine months de nex' oldest daughter wus buried.
(Well, what about that casket - is that in this story?)
Yessuh, dat's in dis story. De casket, aftah dis man died, dis man dat come dere to see could he do him some good, took him a spool of thread an' put the spool of thread in de casket with the man an' tied de loose end to the porch, an' as the ambulance went away wit de casket, dat unwind de spool of thread till it wound it all out. An' then he wus buried an' them two parties that give this man this trick, in two yeah's time dey will be buried. So dat's about de casket.
(That is all he did to make these other people die?)
Dat's all he did.
Entry 1619
If they try to harm you and you know dey Wanta harm you, you takes a ball of thread - spool of thread, put nine knots in it. Call three colored fellah - three white fellah - three any man names dat any man you call is a great liar, an' you puts knots in it. Ev'ry time you knot it, you pull de knot to you; but if you finish dat end, you fling the other end around and you pull that to you. You take dat and make yo' water on it - de night water on it yoreself for nine mornings and take it and tie it around yore waist. Nobody kin harm yuh. [Informant is one of 6 or 7 doctors interviewed in Charleston: "Tues., June 29, 1937 - Charleston, S. C.... San Mongain - (R.D.)- good - brought by [[doctor]] Glover" - Numbers Book 442-621. Several years later while checking his cylinders against the transcription, I added a comment to his number in Numbers Book,"(use with care)" - meaning some of his material was not too good.]
Entry 5018
An' now lak it wuz a woman an' her an' her husban', or her an' her man frien' has had a fallin' out. He has quit 'er, taken up wit someone else. An' she gits a pair of 'is dirty socks. She takes dose dirty socks an' she will roll 'em up, yuh see, an' put wit de toe tuh toe an' roll 'em tuhwards 'er.
(Begin at the toe?)
Yeah, yuh begin at de toes - gotta be 'is dirty socks an' don't wash 'em, an' roll 'em lak dis.
(Rolling them towards her.)
An' yuh'll roll 'em lak dis, an' yuh'll ask de Lord tuh let 'im come back tuh yuh. An' each word [each time you say], "Lord, bring 'im back," say good things about 'im - not fuss. Say good things until yuh git 'em all rolled up. An' den, when yuh roll 'em up, yuh'll sew 'em up wit white thread, an' each stitch come tuhwards yuh. Yuh'll take dem socks an' yuh'll put 'em in yore pillah or in de cornah of de mattress on de side dat yuh sleeps, direct undah yore haid.
Entry 8631
All right. Yo' take dere names an' git chew a aig [means lemon] an write it [name] down nine times on some brown papah. an' yo' take dat an' yo put some steel dust in it, yo' put some cayenne peppah, Epsom salts. Yo' take dat lemon an' yo' sew it up wit black thread, an' yo' bury it where dey have mud at to- Wards de sunrise. Dat's tuh make 'em git out de house. (You put this all in the lemon?) Yassuh, all into a lemon.
Entry 8648
Yo' take a lemon an' yo' cut it open an' yo' write a person [name], jes' lak anybody enemy to yo' an' yo' wanta git rid of 'em. An' yo' write their name nine times. Git chew a square piece of papah, write it nine times cross disaway an' nine times disaway, an' nine in all fo' corners - jis' cross 'em nine times. Den fold it nine times to yo'. An' den yo' put it in dat lemon. Den yo' put de lemon back togethah. Sew it up wit black thread an' throw dat in de rivah an' yo' git rid of it.
Entry 8975
All right, yo' git chew a beef tongue an' yo' write everyone of 'em name in de co'thouse down nine times backwards. [Instead of writing John Smith, write Smith John.1 Yo' git] chew nine new needles, nine new pins, an' nine new tacks, an' yo' crosses dem as yo' be's stickin' 'em in dat tongue. Den yo' pack dat tongue down wit sawdust. Af- tah yo' pack it down, yo' sew it up wit black thread; an' befo' it's time fo' de co't, put it on ice an' thaws it. Dat's tuh beat a case in co't.
Entry 11878
Wrap up hair and tie with black thread and wear in pocket for love.
[Wilmington 91:2+85.]
Entry 12664
(The persimmon bush?) Dat's de 'simmon tree. Take dose an' cut nine notches in 'em an' take yo' nine yards of black thread, an' yo' fold it in dere in every one of dem, cross 'em on dis side [demonstrates], make it up tight, put dat last lak dat. [Demonstrates by tying so that weaving round knots will not unravel.]
Entry 584
Making a Jack.
(Making a Jack? Well, how do they do that?)
Well, that's out of red flannen [flannel].
(I see. Well, tell me how they do that.)
Well, ah tell yah. You see, now, that's like you say I wanta find out where my husband at tonight. Well, I will take this piece of red flannen, you see. I will make a little Jack, if his name is Jack - I'll say [for example] I'll make William, and I make it re'lly small, and then I will take the rest of the thread and I holds it up in the front of my eyes and I will talk to it just like I was talking to you. I say, "If he is gone to his meeting or gone to his church" - wher'enever he is gone - ah looking right at Jack, or William or Sam - you got'a name him whatever he is named.
(You give him the name of the man you are talking about?)
Yes. Yes, and I hold it by the thread - hit so long but it not larger then your finger is, you see [demonstrates].
(Like a little bag.)
And I say, "Now, you tell me where is he?" Well, if he is gone to his church or gone to his lodge meeting, Jack will swing back and forwards to you. If he isn't, that will stay solid still.
(I see - you ask these questions and it will swing or it won't swing?)
Yes.
Entry 737
Well, oftentimes fellahs carries a lucky piece in dere pocket. Maybe it be lodestone or John de Conker or five-finger grass or some kinda perfume in lodestone - oftentimes fellahs carries it. An' den sometimes fellahs has a pocket-piece like dis dey carries fo' luck. Dat's a piece of John de Conker [he shows it].
(How do you prepare this?)
Well, yo' take it an' yo' put it in a little bag like dis [he shows it].
(In a red flannel bag.)
In a red flannel bag. Yo' take a piece of lodestone an' put in that bag with it an' yo' take a little bit of sachet powders an' put in dat bag. Yo' take a silver dime an' put it in dere between de lodestone an' High John de Conker root. Take yo' a piece of white thread an' carry it round dat-a-way nine times. Yo' carry it round dat-a-way nine times an' take it right in dere wit yore finger an' bring it right dis way nine times. Tie it into nine knots. (Now wait a minute. The first time you carry this thing away from you or towards you?) You carry it away from you nine times.
(On this side here you tie a knot?)
No sir, yo' don't tie no knot - yo' jes' carry it heah.
(You just hold it there?)
An' hold it there, yo' understand, an' make a loop ketch it - don't tie nc knot atall, make a loop ketch it. Bring it back to yo' nine times. An' yo' bring it back to yo' then nine times an' tie nine knots in it right in de center like that. All right, yo' carry it this-a-way nine times.
(Nine times lengthwise - away from you?)
Yes sir - right this-a-way nine times. All right yo' git done with it an' yo' take a straight pin an' stick right down in there - right in de top. Take dis bag an' yo' tie it real tight - tie in de top like dat an' wear it either up heah or in yore left pocket.
(Either under your heart or in your pocket.)
Or either in yore left pocket.
(And what is that bag supposed to do for you?)
Dat supposed to give you luck - drive away de evil spirits an' bring luck an' success an' make friends wit everybody - yore enemies will be yore friends, fellahs who don't like yo' will come tuh like yo'. Ah've got a piece of dis John de Conker [which he had just showed to me] supposed to be good fo' dat. Yo' supposed tuh use it wit holy oil. Dere's a oil dat yo' use wit it - it's a little red oil, dey call it de holy oil. Yo' have to order it. Yo' takes dis oil an' yo' keeps it 'nointed wit dis - keep dis root anointed wit dis oil. [The technical word for anointing is often called feeding.] An' when yo' git ready tuh leave home dat mawnin' yo' take some of dis oil an' po' it in yore han' an' rub it on yore han' dat-a-way an' rub it cross yore chest like dat - jes' like that. (Your right on your shoulder and you bring it down across your chest. And your left hand you have on the right side and bring it straight across.) Straight across it like that. An' while yo' doin' that why says de Our Father prayers.
(That's when you go down to get a job from the boss?)
Yes sir.
(That little red bag like that - where do you get those, buy them?)
Ah ordahs 'em.
(Oh, they have draw strings on them.)
Ah ordahs 'em from Tennessee.
(From Memphis - the Curio Products Company?) [That probably surprised him.)
Yes suh. Ah makes a straight nail for runnin' a person crazy by usin' three strands of dere hair in a pine tree -
(Oh, you told me that.)
Entry 2060
Buy yo' some live lodestone, put it in a cloth, a red cloth, sew it up wit black thread. Yo' go put it on yore body. Den yo' go down an' ah ask yo', "Mister, will yo' give me a job?" Yo' say, "Well, ah might not have a job fo' yo' tuhday, but chew kin come back tomorrah."
Entry 2185
You go to a fortune tellah an' you tell 'im - he ast you whut you want. You tell 'im you wan'a job. He'll go back an' he'll git 'im a red onion, take the knife an' cut that red onion in half, put a penny betwixt it [the halves], take a piece of thread an' wrahp it aroun' an' tie it back together, an' go in the woods an' git 'im three pieces of blacksnake root an' cross em. You cross two like that, then take the othern an lay it like - kin'a looks like that, you see [demonstrates].
(Like a rail fence.)
An' them three pieces crossin' one 'nother, take the thread an' tie 'em to- gethah. You keep it in you' pockit an' befo' git to 'im you start to rubbin' 'em, the little sticks togethah - jis' like that. Then you take that red onion an' tie it in the cornah of you' han'ke'chief, an' a little befo' you git to 'im, you take that han'ke'chief an' wipe you' face. Don't nevah look down - always look 'im in the eye if you gon'a ast 'im fo' a job. He couldn't help from givin' it to you.
Entry 4785
Yuh kin take a pocket han'ke'chuf an' tie de fo' cornahs of it.
(Tie knots in the four corners?)
In de fo' cornahs of de pocket han'ke'chuf. Well, yuh take a stran' of No.8 thread an' needle, an' yuh run dat needle through dat [demonstrates].
(Right in the center of the handkerchief.)
Dat's right, an' jis' lak yuh say, "Ah see dat woman 'cross yondah. Well, ah lak tuh tak wit 'er, but looks lak it's a hard fo' me tuh git tuh 'er." Well, all right, yuh may tell me, "What are dat lady's name ovah dere. Go an' see whut 'er name is." Well, dey don' know whut chew up tuh, but dey'll come an' tell yuh 'er name. Well, evah time when yuh git 'er name, yuh take dat needle an' double it an' tie dem nine knots, jes' tie dem nine knots - jerk it, yuh see [demon- strates], lak dat. Well, dis woman is comin' tuh yuh an' pick a conversation wit chew. Ah know dat's true, ah've tried dat. (But first in this handkerchief you tie a knot in each corner of the handker- chief.) In each corner.
(Then you run the needle through the center of the handkerchief.)
Wit No.8 thread.
(No.8 thread. Then you call her name and make a knot in the thread.)
An' draw it to yo', don't draw it from yuh. See, yuh draw it tuh yuh.
(You call the name nine times.)
She comin' tuh yuh. Yuh ain't got'a go tuh 'er.
Entry 924
A lady had me lak dat after ah got dat wit dis man. An' he married me. She did me dat way - she had me tied an' mah baby would a-nevah born until de doctah take it. An' aftah take it he said it wus de hardes' case he evah had. She had de chile so dat ah'd bear tuh bring de chile an' it would drew back up in me - it jes' climb up, yo' see, it nevah would come down. An' when de doctah came tuh take it, it wus almos' bo'n an' all at once it take a suck an' jes' jump right back up in me. An' he said dat wus de hardes' case he evah had. An' befo' mah baby wus bo'n ah wus jes' as black as dis hat heah [see Hat, my black in Index]. Yo' know, mah complexion undah mah clothes shouldn't be dat way from de way ah look outside. Well, dey had me dressed. An' dey came dere. Yo' know in de country people wash dey clothes an' hang 'em out, chew know, at night dey left 'em out. Nobody takes anything - yo' kin hang out clothes at night an' leave 'em all. Well, dey [the spell caster] came dere one night - dey [the doctor] tole mah mothah. Dey [spell caster] stole a bale of cotton an' mama an' dem went tuh someone [and reported the theft] - ah don' know who wus it, an' took dat [piece of clothing] off from me. De doctah [M.D.] took de baby but aftah all ah wus still black. [The M.D. couldn't make her color less black.] See. An' if dey [family] didn't did somepin fo' me tuh come back tuh mah nach'ral size [the M.D. failed to reduce her size], ah wouldn't live, neither de baby, cuz when de baby wus bo'n it wus blue - all ovah de baby jes' blue. Yo' couldn't tell whut color it wus. So dey went to dis man [doctor] an' dis man tole mah mothah dat dis woman took bloomers - yo' see, yore underwears an' she took de seat of 'em. She cut de seat of 'em out an' she took 'em an' she jes' ball it up an' tie it up with a lot of twine thread an' - an' it's somepin she put in dere. Ah don't know how she got holt to it, but she musta got holt to it by some of mah frens'. Jes' got holt of a soiled pair of mah bloomers, yo' know, where a woman drips or somepin lak dat. When dey goin' lak dat, yo' know, it's somepin always comin' from dem. An' she got some of dat an' she put dat in a ball an' she tied it wit a twine - she jes' tied it so till it wus jes' lak a ball you could throw it. An' she took dat ball an' she went to a green oak tree in de woods an' she took a axe an' pick a hole or a hollow in dat tree an' she took an' buried dat ball of stuff in dat tree an den she take de axe an' she knock on it fo' three licks. An' she went back fo' nine mawnin's an' knock on that tree right on that ball fo' nine mawnin's befo' de sun rise. [This is called knocking for you.] She had to be there when de sun start peepin' tuh hit on dat tree - three licks every mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's. An' aftah she hit on it three licks fo' nine mawnin's, then it commence growin' up - de tree commence tuh healin'. An' aftah dat tree heal up, den dat tied dat baby up in me. See. An' de baby couldn't of bo'n. An' dey had it fixed so dat ah would have died, but de doctah took de baby. An' aftah de doctah took de baby an' tole papa an' dem dat he wusn't satisfied wit mah looks, an' den dey went an' had dis han' took offa me. [The Doctor of Medicine who "took de baby" was not satisfied with the mother's looks. This dissatisfaction - meaning she would need time and care to recover - almost signed the woman's death warrant, because the family immediately consulted a root doctor. The latter said a hand had been put on informant in retaliation for her mother's reporting the theft of a bale of cotton to the authorities. This hand, made from something belonging to her, had caused Caesarean operation, dark color, and large size. The medical doctor of course could not remove this hand, but he the root doctor could.] An' de doctah made me some black medicine [perhaps black draft, see Index]. Ah don't know whut kinda medicine it wus an' ah didn't ask papa an' dem, but he made me a bottle somepin lak dat bottle up dere - 'bout de size of dat, full. An' he tole papa tuh give me every drop of dat medicine, an' three weeks after ah taken dat medicine, ah commence comin' clear in spots - not all ovah, jes spots, an' come back tuh be mah size, to mah looks lak ah supposed tuh be. An' in six months time after ah took dat medicine, ah become jes' lak ah supposed to be all ovah. An' ah wus jes' as black as dat hat dere. Dis mah natural color.
Entry 1120
Chills - like if you are subject to chills every day, you get the bitterweed that grows the yellow flowers on top and the cow eats those weeds and it makes her milk bitter. Well, if a person has got a chill, you take this cord string and measure it around their waist, when the chill is on them, and you measure just the size of their wrist and you take this thread.
(Either wrist?)
Either wrist, either one. You take this thread out to that bitterweed and you bunch it all on this branch, you see, and tie that string around it. Three days after you do that, the weed'll die and there'll be no more chills. I learnt that when I was thirteen years old.
Entry 1395
(What do they do with the needles?)
They string 'em all on a thread an' drop 'em down between de breast tuh dry milk in de breast fo' a baby.
(They just let them hang on the breast?) Yes.
Entry 1640
This here thing of puttin' a spell on anybody, you takes that off wit dere water - see, dere own water. You make it in a bottle an' you git - it's nine pins. See, you turn four de p'ints up - de p'int of de pin. You tie them into a thread. Take a thread an' tie fo' of de p'ints up - de fo' cormer of de world, an' five down, you understand, an' jis' like it's joo, you take an' leak in de bottle an' put dese pin in dere, see, an' jis' stop dat bottle up. You go to a ole wrecken [delapidated] house dat nobody lives in an' take up a brick. [I ask a lost question] yeah, yeah, in de fiahplace some ole house in de country or anywhere dat dere nobody livin'. You know, take up a brick, take dis bottle - you got but three words to say to dis when you set it, see - you understand whut I mean, "Bad luck go away, good luck follah," three times. You set it [bottle] down an' place dat [brick] jis' like it was before, an' you go ahead an' return home. Don't look back - no lookin' back atall. I'm tellin' you ezactly whut will do dat. An' you go right on home. Den after you git in de house, you kin come out an' look where you wan' to - after you git tuh de house. Well, in nine days it'll [the spell will] be off. De fellah dat put it on them [you], dey'll
[he'll] be feelin' it.
Entry 2321
She kin jis' take de [scraping from the] fo' cornahs off of a table, an' she puts it in with a small little rag an' sew it up, an' soak it with camphah. She could take mos' any colahed rag - you know, any colah tha's plain [cloth must not have a design]. Jis' wrop it up tight, sew it, zhoo know, with black thread. Camphah on it to keep it alive, you know, keep it 'live. Put so much, you know. An' sulphah an' salt in it. An' if she kin git anywhure whure he travel aroun' - anywhure, anywhure whure he could step ovah it - an' if he evah step ovah, why she'll bring 'im right on back. [This rite also keeps a dog home - see FACI,2ed., Nos. 2295-2296, Pp.91-92.]
Entry 4708
Yuh take de little bow. Yuh take de little bow an', if they kin git it out of dere jis' as it's in, dey take dat bow an' dey'll make what chew call a twist. Yuh see, if dey kin twist it like dey want, tuh keep from tyin' it, dey'll twist it. An' if dey kin git de edges, de ends, de way dey want it, dey take dem ends an' dey twists until dey cut - till dat end is jis' as thin as one stran' of yore hair, jis' by twisting it, but it'll be locked. [The weave of the bow will still be there, twisted into one thin string.] It'll be locked an' yuh twist till it gits thin as one stran' of yore hair. Now, if yuh leave [you do leave] a hole in between, see [demonstrates].] Now, yuh leave dat hole in between dere an' yuh take an' yuh git yuh a stick, an' yuh cut dat stick as roun' as yuh kin an' yuh put dat hair [twisted bow] on dat stick. When yuh put dat hair [twisted bow] on dat stick, yuh put it in de centah of de stick. Put dat hair [twisted bow] in de centah of dat stick an' carry it tuh where dey got runnin' watah, an' yuh take an' yuh hang - yuh git chew a string an' yuh put it on each end of de stick an' yuh let it hang in dat runnin' watah, but don't sink, yuh see. Evah day yuh go dere, evah twenty-fo' hours, see, yuh go dere. When yuh go, yuh let down on dat, see. Yuh let it down evah time - evah twenty-fo' hours yuh go an' yuh let it down until de length of yore thread would give out, which would be about two feets of string dat yuh would have on each end of de stick. See. An' when dat thread give out, yuh see, yuh go an' yuh give de same party dat yuh got dere hair [twisted bow] you git dem, an' yuh carry 'em jis' about two blocks tuh dis runnin' watah. See. Well, when yuh carry dem de two blocks tuh dis runnin' watah where yuh got dere hair at - see, dey goin' tuh go wit chew all right, dey'll have good intentions. Dey'll go, but when dey git jis' about two blocks from dere, dey ain't goin' tuh go. Dis party, dey goin' tuh turn aroun' an' come back. See. Now, when dey come back, yuh know yuh got 'em den. Dey goin' tuh come back. Don't beg 'em, don't force 'em tuh go at all. If dey want tuh come back, let 'em come back, but dey goin' tuh come back dere own indi- vidual self. Dey'll come back demself tuh see what it's all about. Dey'll jis' have - yuh want tuh lead 'em tuh come back, see. An' dey'll go dere an' dey'll set. Set right dere an' dey goin' tuh wondah maybe fo' days an' days, jis' stay dere wit'out nuthin tuh eat or nuthin, maybe prob'ly sleep. People will be won- dahin' where dey at, wondahin' what's de mattah, tellin' 'em dey're makin' a tramp of yoreself an' all sech things as dat, but dey won't know what it's all about, see. But dey'll stay dere as long as dat hair is dere an' until he die. He would not move from dere - starve tuh death.
[I stop recording to ask a question or two, then start machine again.]
I'm got it on a stick.
(The little bow from the hat?)
Yes, I'm got it on a stick, see.
(What about the hair?)
I'm talkin' about de bow of hair - yuh see, de hair an' de bow.
(Talking about the hair and the bow?)
I'm got it wrapped up on de stick, yuh see. I'm got it wrapped up an' I'm got a hole in dere an' I'm got de stick. Yuh see here?
(Yes.)
I'm got dat stick 'tween dat dataway an' I've thread on each end of it - jis' about two [feet on each end].
(You've got hair in that bow?)
I'm got de hair in dere.
(Oh!)
Yes.
(And did you put a hole in the stick or did you split the stick?)
De stick is not split, I'm only got de stick. Yuh see like dis here ridge in mah fingah [demonstrates]. I'm got de stick. I only got a ridge [groove] jis' all de way round it dataway.
(I see.)
An' I'm got thread on each end of it. See [demonstrates], on each end I'm got jis' about two feets of thread - on each end of de stick. (And you hold the stick over the water and it swings? You hold it and it swings over the water?) Yes, jis' let it swing. But evah twenty-fo' hours, evah twenty-fo' hours, go dere an' lowah it down until de two yards - or rathah de fo' yards of thread is gived out. Undahstan' (I see. YOU HAVE THIS BOW WRAPPED AROUND THAT STICK THEN? THAT YOU LOWERED DOWN IN THE WATER?) Yes, sir.
(I see.)
[This informant is not lying, he has a confused mind - often from long addic- tion to alcohol. Versions of this rite - lowering or floating objects in running Water - occur elsewhere in HOODOO.]
Entry 5014
Ah heard dat yuh take de socks now, an' yuh take it an' roll it towards yuh. Take it an' start it from de toes an' roll it back, jis' as tight as yuh kin roll it. An' den when yuh git 'em rolled back, yuh take a needle an' thread an' hook it ovah tuhwards yuh. Don' nevah hook it from yuh. Dat's whut dat lady tole me. Say yuh hook it tuhwards yuh evah time. Take dat sock den an' bury it right undah yore do'step, an' say dat man'll always stay dere - or a woman, whoevah it is.
Entry 5564
Dat a lady taken de track, yo' see, de hollah [hollow] of both of de feet - dirt - an' put intuh some fresh hog lard, stuck nine wire nails, new wire nails in this lard. Den wraps it wit raw cotton thread an' cuts de shape of a shoe sole, a pair of 'em, an' put 'em tuh- gethah an' wraps 'em an' put it in ground. Now, dose things dey say stops de ones from walkin'.
(How do you mean stops them from walking?)
Dere knees cannot bend.
(She gets that sole out of your shoe or does she cut it out of something?)
Cut it out of a pasteboard. Now dat's whut de lady tole me herself. [Mobile, Ala., (704 0r 702), 960:8.]
Entry 5717
If dey ketch yore track where yo' make a track at, dey kin take dat track. Git a thread of any kin' an' measure it from toe tuh heel, undahstan', an' take de dirt up an' put it in [put in] quicksilvah, an' put it in a swinging bird nest, an' yo'll walk in yore grave. [Yo'll swing into your grave would have been better.] Jis' lak it's a bird nest yo' know up in a tree. Put it up dere where de birds go.
(And which foot do they get, both feet?)
No, de right feet.
Entry 5835
Yo' take de hair from de mole, take de hair right out de top, de mole [old] of de hair. Well, yo' take dat hair an' yo' wrap a string around it, or thread, any kinda thread aroun' dat hair, an' yo' put dat hair in a bottle, see, an' yo' po' some cphor in it, see. Well, dat will make it 'live. Shake it up, see. Yo' let dat stay in dere nine days an' yo' take dat out an' yo' wrap in a flannen cloth. Let it stay in dat flannen cloth an' den yo' wear it. Dat is tuh draw yore sveetie to yo' or anybody yo' want lak dat.
(Whose hair do you put in that bottle?)
Fell, if it's de man, he put de woman's hair; an' if it's de woman, she put de 's hair.
(What did you say THAT CAMPHOR does for the hair?)
Entry 5999
If yo' wanta make anybody leave dere home, yo' kin take dere hair out from right in de front of de haid right dere [demonstrates] lak where yo' part it at. An' yo' kin take two needles an' thread dem needles wit de hair, an' put it in a bottle an' bury it right at de block of de house, as yo' goin' out by de front. An' jes' lak de blocks, jes' lak de bricks filled in undah de house - see, yo' could bury it right back down dere.
(What will that do?)
Dat'll make yo' have peace in yore home, or eithah make yo' bring love back - anythin' lak dat.
Entry 6006
If yo' know someone dat chew wanta git rid of 'em an' dey are casin' confusion in yore home, why yo' kin take dere hair an', yo' know, git jis' fo' needles. Yo' cross dose needles somepin lak dat [demonstrates]. Make a square. [This square or oblong is a symbolical coffin or grave.] (Put two parallel needles like that, and two parallel - on the top and the bottom.) Dat's right. An' den yo' take dere hair, an' cut de hair out de mole of dere haid, an' put it in a little bot- tle [originally a tiny bottle of perfume sold at Five and Ten Cents Stores] an' stop it up, an' place it direck [directly] between dat square of dose needles. An' den git chew a red piece of rag or flannin an' sew it up in dere, an' walk tuh de rivah an' chunk it ovah yore lef' shouldah an' dey will leave. Dey jis' gotta go an' dey cain't stop. Dey cain't res' contented nowhere dey go.
(What holds these [needles] in place?)
Yo' wrap 'em wit some thread, wit a piece of red cord.
(Like you were making a picture frame?)
Dat's right. An' aftah yo' fix [tie] dat up lak dat, den yo' place dis bot- tle in de centah.
(Then you wrap the whole thing up?)
Wit a red piece of rag [red flannel]. An' den yo' chunk it direck ovah yore lef' shouldah in runnin' watah.
Entry 6885
Yo' takes an' yo' git chew a spool of thread, white thread, an' yo'll measure from de length of where she walks at, an' in de ninth day she'll delivah dis baby. Dat chile will grow in 'er an' be almos'roun' about dis high, when it will delivah. She wouldn't be able tuh delivah it.
(All you have to do is to measure her what?)
[I now have quite a time learning what is measured, despite my knowing the answer.] Git a white spool of thread, No.8.
(Yes.)
An' yo' take dat thread an' wheresomevah yo' know she passes, always take de length.
(The length of what?)
De length wit de thread, jis' lak yo'd have a measure fo' twine, yo' know, an' yo'd be takin' a stretch.
(Well, what do you measure?)
Yo' measure where she walks at.
(What do you mean 'where she walks at?")
[I stop recording machine, she answered!]
(Well now, that's what I want to know. You measure her footsteps.)
Yo' measure her footsteps.
(All right.)
Now, wherevah yo' know she's stayin', yo'll come dere lak nuthin an' yo' jis' take de length of it an' den, as she go on, wherevah she makes [a track], yo' stop an' take de measure of it.
(Then what do you do with that?)
Yo' ties dat up, yo' ties dat thread up in knots. Yo'll count how many knots, intuh nine knots. An' de measure of 'er, all de steps dat yo' takes from 'er, if she stand - don' care how [many steps].
Entry 8052
Yo' go in de woods. Yo' make it tuh de woods, way outa town, an' yo' turn in an' git chew a black line, a thread line - a thread line dat's black, a spool of thread. (Like a black fishing line?) Dat's right, lak a black fishin' line. An' yo' turn in an' git chew two needles. Yo' bring it [demon- strates] from heah an' yo' roll dat lak dat, reel it out from heah, jis' lak yo' stealin' dis whiskey. Jis' lak yo' in dere stealin' dis whiskey, yo' draw dat fishin' line, see, right on out. Yo's right in heah. Yo' be settin' heah, an' yo' draw dat fishin' line right on out. Well, yo' git den an' yo' stop an' yo' have a li'le yore watah in a tin can, yore pee in it already, an' yo' po' [pour] dat right down. Evah time yo' stops it [the line] po' it down. All right, yo' keep right on runnin' [out the line] an' go a certain distance. Ah [would] say yo' go about, aw jis' a short step, yo' know, aroun' an' den yo' stop an' yo' drop a li'le bit of it [urine]. Well, yo' keep right on a-runnin' [the line] an' see, yo' stop an' yo' drop a li'le of yore pee dere. An' yo' keep right a-rumnin' an' yo' stop ag'in an' yo' put a li'le pee dere. An' yo' git right back where yo' started off an' put some mo' yore pee dere.
[The urine is sprinkled in a circle about his liquor. This is to protect it.]
All right. Den yo' look aroun'. Well, ah did dis In de Name of de Father, de Son an' de Holy Ghost, dat ah may rest from all evil, an' dat ah may die [several words], an' chunk it on away. All right, den yo' back up an' yo' git up on dis lak dis heah. Yo' back up off it, see, where yo' stop at. Yo' backed up an' yo' look at it [your whiskey]. Yo' stop five minutes an' yo' don't say a word. Yo' look at it. Den yo' walk back up to it an' yo' look at it ag'in. Den yo' back up. Den when yo' back up yo' look in dat direction an' jis' turn an' look an' jis' walk in dat direction. An' when yo' git out in dat direction, yo'll have a seat an' set down dere jis' a few minutes an' look at it. Don't say a word. Jis' look jis' fo' a few minutes. Den yo'll leave from dere an' yo'll go tuh a graveyard. An' if yo' kin git holt of a man's toes, yo' git holt of about fo' or five of de toes tuh fo'k [fork into the ground] roun' [the goods for sale]. Yo' stick 'em in de ground, yo know, round [the liquor], yo' see. An' den yo' say, Ah hope dis will be a fence fo' all [to keep everyone away], In de Name of de Fathah, Son an' de Holy Ghost. Well, devils [evil spirits] will be dere, see an' dat will keep dem dere [those] mens [low men] from comin' in lookin' fo' yo' makin' dis whiskey. Dey drove [are driven] away [by this protection] but yo' dere, but yo' know who dey are. See, yo' keep 'em drove away, but chew stay dere, but dey cain't stay dere. DEY'LL BE FRIGHTENED. WHEN DEY COME AN' CREEP AN' STOP, BEGIN TUH LOOK, DEY'LL GIT FRIGHT- ENED. SOMPIN WILL HIT 'EM ON DE BACK, SEE, AN' DEY'LL GRAB DEY PISTOL AN' TURN ROUN' AN' DERE'S NUTHIN. YO' HAVE HEARD OF THINGS SLAPPIN' PEOPLE. AH KNOW YO' KNOW.
(You said you get two needles. What did you do with those needles?)
Yo' take dose two needles - yo' take dose two needles an' yo' put 'em up on top of dis heah stove, jis' set 'em up dere. See, dat's tuh mean fo' sharp luck. Yo' carry dem needles fo' sharp luck. Yo' put dem needles up dere an' yo' cross 'em, see. Now, dem needles is dere fo' dem devils. See, dem needles is dere fo' dem devils, undahstan'. Dem needles is goin' p'int [point] at dem devils, undah- Stan'. WHEN AH CALLS DEVILS, DEM GUYS COMIN' IN DERE GOIN' TRY TUH RUN YO' OUT. WELL, AH WANTA HAVE DEVILS DERE STRONGAH AS DEY IS, an' dem needleS goin' hold 'em, dey is crossed, undahstan'. Well, ah'll look roun', see, an' put it dere, an' den got de stuff from de graveyard, yo' see, done got dem folk's toes, dem daid toes if it ain't nuthin but de bones. Ah got de toes. Well, ah done named dem, see. Ah name, jis' say, de Fathah, Son an' Holy Ghost, dat dey may keep 'way all devils. Well, when dem othah devils [law men] come, see, up dere tuh ketch me an' carry me down an' lock me up in jail, dese things will keep dem PartieS Off. DEY CAIN'T NEVAH GIT IN DERE, DEY'S ALWAYS SCARED OUT. AN' EVAH TIME DEY PULL OUT DEY PISTOL AN' GO TUH SHOOT, DEY'LL LOSE IT OR SOMPIN, DEY CAIN'T SHOOT.
Entry 8486
Well, it's - a woman kin take some of 'er blood an' take dis man's name; yo' know, write his name [with her blood] on a piece of papah. An' tie dis up in dis piece of papah an' tie a strand of thread around it. An' yo' kin sew it up in a mattress, or jis' sew it up in anything an' let it [stay] dere. Well, he will pine away dat way. He will die.
(Yes? He will die?)
Yes, sir, he will die.
(Just take her ordinary blood or her period blood?)
Dat's right, her period blood.
Entry 8622
(Suppose I want to keep the law away from that bootlegging joint, what would I do? How would I keep the law away? Any particular way?) Well, they have several dif- (4) ferent kind of way to keep de law away, if yo' want de law dat is on dis beat. Now, well, let's fix up - we want de law away. Of course, if we go to work an' work direct on de police on de force, dat Wouldn't stop 'em from raidin'. Now, listen! Let's see what we going to do about stoppin 'em raidin' in general. All right. Yo' going to get de chief of detectives, yo' goin' to get de chief of police, yo' goin' to get de captain's name, yo goin' to get everybody dat's in authority over dat group, which, if they goin' to raid, dey'd have to go up to dese particular men before dey can make a raid. Do yo' get de idea?
(I see.)
It got to come from dem. Well, we'll start wit dem. We are not concerned wit de ordinary man, dat is, de common ordinary police officer. We get de head of 'em. Well, we take dat head in dere an' we are goin' to draw a round ring six inches from de centah - a round ring. We goin' to place all dose names in dat ring on parchment papah.
[No ordinary paper for the important police!]
(Six inches from the center - that is, the diameter will be twelve inches then?) Yeah, just de same [demonstrates] if yo' say six inches from here [center of circle] an' yo' just hold it [a string] dere an' yo' go aroun' [draw the circle].
(The circle is twelve inches in diameter?)
Yeah, twelve inches in diameter.
(All right.)
Now, yo' going to take each one of dose officers - see, de twelve of 'em dat's in authority. [Informant is surely thinking of the 12 signs of the Zodiac rather than the 12 Apostles; the signs to protect place of business from police all year.] Yo' goin' to place 'em direct in dat center an' yo' goin' to sweeten 'em up. An' aftah yo' sweeten dem up.
(How do you sweeten them up?)
Well, yo' can takd dis Lureen Oil [surely Zuring oil, an oil to lure the police], dat Oil of Lureen, when it come for anything beneficial, all good things, this is to use for dat most particular purpose [beneficial to oneself]. Like yo' can use seven drops of dat Oil of Lureen, an' aftah yo' use it round in dere, why yo' goin' to take what yo' call a tappan[?] beans come from Central America.
(What kind of a bean?)
Dat's a bean come from.... Central America, from Las.... G....de capital of Las....
(What do you call those beans, what is the name of them?)
Santoine[?] beans.
(Santoine[?] beans and where do they come from?)
Central America.
(From where? You said some place in Central America?)
Well, sir, G....is the capital of Las....but dey bring 'em from G....to Las.... an' dat's de seaport.
(I see. All right.)
Now, why each one of dose names I done going to take pure white thread. It made kind of like wit four corners an' it grows in a bean [pod] an' dere may be twelve in one bean [pod], eight or ten, like dat. Yo' take it an' yo' sew it right in de center of dat name. Like my name would be Paul B. Dickson. Where the "D" at, yo' could write it twixt de "D" right in de center. An' whosomevah [whatever policeman] go back there [in your place of business, you complain to him] an' say, "Well, this is a quiet zone an' they raisin' Sam an' singing over there. Ah can't sleep at night. How yo' want me to work an' I'se lonesome an' all of that stuff." "Well, all right, " [says the officer] "we'll take care of dat." An' before he [officer] gets out of there [your place of business], dat stuff [you prepared] got him. (How do you do that? You sew one of these beans on each one of those names? Then what do you do with that parchment, then?) On [a bean on] each one of dose name. Den yo' take dat parchment an' yo' just fold it in like that an' just take it ovah dere an' put it in [your] show- case. Just keep it anywhere. Then it has a tendency to - wheresomevah your funds at, yo' can keep it right in yore funds an' it has a tendency to draw funds.
(You mean, the money?)
Yeah.
(In your money box where you keep your money?)
Yeah.
(I see.)
Entry 10113
You get hold of a cat to do different things with. You can use a - take a cat, a black cat. You take a black cat and you kill the black cat. And you kill this black cat, you boil it. And you take a bone from him after you boil 'em. You boil 'em until every bit of the meat [here, having heard this much many times, I stopped recording. The words "round bone" restarted machine].
(You get that round bone, you say?)
Yes, sir. (Any kind of a - you mean a bone like the tip of your finger, or it's round that way?)
[Here I may have demonstrated a circle.]
Yes, sir.
(Then do you do anything with that bone?)
I'll cut four corners in it.
[Informant must have gone through motions of filing.]
(Then you file those?)
I'd file the sides, make it good and round. I don't want no rough edges, no corners on it at all. (Oh, I see, you round each end of that round bone?) Yes, sir. (I see.) Then I... [pauses]. (Then what do you do?) Then I'm going to cut it. You see, I cut it [demon- strates] thisaway; cut it like that, and then disaway. (Make four notches in it?) Four notches on each end. Now, when I get them four notches in this bone, I take - well, I get me a piece of silk thread. See, I get silk thread and I'm going to wrap that bone thisaway nine times into them notches. (Now, this bone is like the little stick that you wrap your fishing cord around?) Yes, sir.
(You have the notches - the notches don't run round the [thickness of the]
bone, but it [the notch] goes out to the end [the length] of the bone.) My notches come on the end, you see, and my notches set like this [demon- strates]. See, I got four notches on each end.
(I see, go ahead.)
See, the notches cut in the bone cross the two ends thisaway, see [demon- strates]. Well, I'm using this bone different. I'm going to wrap this bone thisaway [demonstrates]. (You only have two notches in that bone, in the end of that round - it's like a cross [+] on each end of the bone?) Yes, sir.
(0r like grooves, one groove across the other one.)
Yes, sir. They cross.
(That makes four grooves?)
Yeah, four grooves.
(All right.)
Well, I'll take and use silk thread; see, blue or pink. I take and I cross it this way for nine times. I wrap it for nine times thataway and then I come back nine times thisaway. I gets me [I interrupt to annote]. (You wrap the thread nine times around one of those notches at each end and you turn around like that and wrap it nine times through the other notches in the opposite end?) You see, I'm wrapping it by the straight...
(I understand that.)
Jest come down straight thisaway, not thisaway.
(I understand.)
Thisaway. And I get me - after I wrap it around that bone, I get the thread around the bone thataway, I go and I get me some of this war powder. I'll get me war powder and with this powder that I'll scrape off of this bone, I'm going to mix that together, see. I lay this bone into a piece of silk paper.
(What kind of paper?)
Silk.
(Silk paper.)
Silk paper, see. And I lay that bone in there and I gets me one of these small candles. Small candles. You know them little bit of yellow candles. They are about three for a nickel.
(How high are they?)
They little bit of candles about this [high].
(Oh, just small candles. All right.)
Little small candles, about little bit bigger than a match stick. They about that long. Get you one of those - three, I mean. And I'm going to lay two - one on each side of this thing - this bone, you see. But I'm going to lay it in a Way, I'm going to put it in a frame-like, but it ain't going to burn, and I'm going to light them candles. Light all three of them, but I'm going to light two here and I'm going to light one on the top.
(You have these candles in a triangular form, and the bone's inside the form?)
In the center. I lights those and now when I lights these, I let 'em burn. I light 'em at twelve o'clock in the day. Every day for twelve o'clock - no more, no less. I light 'em at twelve an' let 'em burn 'till about twelve-thirty, see. Twelve- thirty, if the work ain't done, I put 'em out, an' the next day I light 'em at twelve-thirty. And then for about three or six days, whatsomever I'm after, it's got to come in the six days. In the sixth day I get whatsomever I'm after. (Here's your - now, let me talk. Here's your cat bone - it's round like that. [I should have given description!] You file off both ends and you make the both ends round. Then you make a groove, you put a cross on top of the groove. At each end make a groove. Then you wrap the thread nine times around this way and nine times around that way - just like you wrap fishing tackle.) That's right.
(All right.)
Entry 9815
Take nine needles an' string 'em with a thread, string 'em up ovah yuh front doah, an' make any- one yo' love come tuh yuh.
Entry 12047
You take a piece of red flannen [flannel] and you dampen that with kerosene and turpentine. Then you take a piece of John de Conkah and Jockey Club [perfume] and a piece of saltpeter. (Jockey Club perfume?) Yes, Jockey Club, and then you take all that and you put it into a little new piece of paper, but I mean brown paper. Put it onto the brown paper first and then put it in - put the devil's - annimum [an- vil] dust. Put annimum dust in there with it. And then wrap it up in that brown paper [brown paper for black person, white paper for white person is the rule]. Wrap it to you. Wrap it right to you. And then put it in a brand-new piece of 'lastic [elastic]. And then you get a new spool of No.8 thread, and then you wrap that good. You wrap it to you. See, you wrap it to you. See, that's bringing you luck. Just wrap it to you. And then you get you a new needle that you've never used - out of a new case [package]. And then you use that brand-new thread and you sew it to you, you know, and make your wishes. You sew it to you. And then you takes that
[package] and tacks it onto your [elastic] belt. You know, that piece of [red]
flannen, you know, and you put that kerosene and turpentine on there, and then you put it round your waist, just wear right round your waist right next to your meat. That's to keep anybody from harming you.
(I see.)
Annimum - an-n- (Wait a minute - annirmum dust.) [I am making a final effort to record this vord correctly. Anim and various things until later in New Orleans I knew it was anvil dust.]
Entry 12152
A hickory tree is good, dey say - not exactly a hickory tree, but dey say if a person wanta tie a person down, tie a person down, dey go tuh a hickory tree an' yo' measure it yore size - come tuh yo' - measure tuh yore waistline. Yo' stand up an' measure it tuh yore waistline, an' yo' bring 'em [bend tree] down lak dat, yo' bring it down till yo' bring de top end down tuh de bottom [of tree]. Dat fasten a man down an' he cain't - he's havin' good process, pro- gress an' all dat - an' dey say dat fasten him down an' cause him so he cain't git no success. Yo' know, jes' lak throwin'a man intuh tough luck where he can't git no job - jes' go tuh pieces. Take dat hickory tree an' yo' put dat hickory down tuh de groun'.
(You do this to the little hickory tree.)
Jes' de lil' small hickory tree.
(You keep bending it down and bending it down.)
Yeah it down till yo' bend it on down tuh de roots dere. Dat ties a man down where he cain't have no success.
(Well, do you leave that tree bent down then?)
Yo' tie it down. Yo' wind it down dere. Yo' wind it down dere nine times with a thread, brand-new thread. Dat keeps a man down.
Entry 12023
Tie up a person's hair with thread, or cork it up in a bottle, or wrap it up in a piece of red flannel, and then bury it at the foot of a mean person's grave to run crazy the owner of the hair. [Wilmington 111:8+85.]
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.