Subject:Thread/Raw thread
Entries
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 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 1936
Take graveyard dirt an' put it in yore pocket - graveyard dirt an' Sampson snakeroot an' blacksnake root an' measure it. [Three ingredients.]
(Measure what?)
De blacksnake root when yo' take it up. Yo' measure it de length of yore finger, de blacksnake root.
(Which finger?)
It either be's [these] two or dese two - this or the other one [demonstrates]. Ah don't know, don't want be positive.
(Either two of the fingers of the right hand.)
Yes sir. They take three of those Sampson snakeroot an' measure 'em, den dey take three of blacksnake roots an' measure 'em, an' weave 'em together with raw cotton thread, weave 'em together, an' put 'em in dey pocket, an' git some grave- yard dirt an' put in it.
(What is that supposed to do then?)
That is luck - luck to win. Or way back in slavery time that was luck to keep yo' boss from whuppin' yo'. Ole people carried dat - dat's all dey had to pertek deyself. [Informant born 1858.]