Subject:Toadfrog
Entries
Entry 252
Yo' kin take a toadfrog an' send him to people house. Yo' kin tell him tuh go dere an' if dey ketch him [and] hang him up in dey fireplace - if a toad- frog come to yore house an' yo' ketch him an' hang him up - hang him up de chimley an' he'll dry up. An' de mo' he dry up, whosomevah sent him dere dey'll dry up de same way. An' 'long as dat frog hang dere dey'll come dere an' dey'll begin tuh fade away lak dat frog do.
(How would you send the frog to a person's house - the toadfrog?)
Jes' tell 'im dey name an' he'll go dere. A frog came to mah mama's house one day an' he'd come dere every morning, be sittin' in de fireplace. An' so she tried dat an' hit was a lady come dere. She'd come dere an' stand to dat fire- place every morning, an' so Mama taken de frog down. She livin' today - mama taken de frog down. She'd come dere long as dat frog hung up dere. [Waycross, Ga., (1134), 1842:17.] [The black cat bone or black cat lucky bone or the lucky bone involves the killing or abuse of a black cat. The principal theme of this rite is boiling a live black cat; the variations are many. Most unusual of these is the symbolism of the three little rooms, an experience of Informant 1532, whose complete inter- view is in the Interview section.]
Entry 1907
Dey kin take dis ole dust, frog dust [toadfrog-bread dust], dat in de Woods an' git it an' sprinkle it in a person hat an' dat will run 'em blind. It's little ole stuff dat come up in de groun' - yo' know, We call it toadfrog bread. It's a little white thing [mushroom] dat grows up an' after which it die an' it goes to a dust. [This is the devil's-snuffbox or puffball - various fungi which discharge ripe spores in smokelike cloud when pressed.] Git dat an' put in yore hat dey say - sprinkle it in a person hat an' dey say dey will go blind, or in dey han'cheff er somepin. [For frog bread, see No. 250, p.72.]
Entry 5549
I did [this]. Take it an' measure it, yore foot tracks. Take it an' take a rule an' yo' measure dat foot track.
(Both of them?)
Well, not necess'ry. Try tuh git de right feet. Git de right feet where de heart's on, de side de heart's on - git de right[!] feet. Yo' take dat. Take it an' measure it, den yo' bring it back home. Aftah yo' bring it back home [I interrupt]. (Do you bring it [foot track] back or the measure?)[Informant does not understand my noun use of word measure. Measurement would have been better.] No, yo' take a rule an' measure de foot track. Or prob'ly, yo' may not have a rule, might take a stick an' break it off, measure it. Yo' taken an' yo' bring it [rule or stick] back home. An' yo' git yo' a toadfrog, not a bull frog. Take it an' put 'im in a stove an' parch 'im. An' take some - well, yo' kin take or'nary [ordinary] papah, take a papah bag, if it's nes'ry [necessary] an' cut dat foot step out an' wrap dat up, an' tie it up in de chimley.
(Wrap this frog stuff [powder] in this paper that you cut out?)
Yes, wrap it all up in dat, an' wrap it - don't wrap it from yo', WRAP IT TUH YO', ALL DE WAY WIT YORE LEF' HAN' 'CUZ YO' SUPPOSED TUH BE DOIN' A PIECE OF EVIL WORK. DAT'S ALONG DE LINE LUCIFAH WORRED, DAT'S NOT ALONG DE LINE WHAT CONCEN- TRATED IN WIT WILL POWAH, WHAT SUPPOSED TUH BE DEALIN' WIT' DE ASTRAL FORCE. (Well, now what will that do, when you fix my foot track that way? What will that do to me?) Well, if yo' runnin' off, it make yo' come back.
(Oh, that brings you back.)
Entry 6454
Some [graveyard] dirt an' some crawfishes an' snakedust. Mix it tuh- gethah an' some of yore toenails an' yore fingahnails an' some of yore strength. (Some what?) Some of yo' strength yo' - WHAT HAVE SOME OF YORE STRENGTH IN SOME OF YORE FINGAH- NAILS. An' take it an' put it up ovah de do' or up ovah yore head, anywhere. An' jis' lak dose things pine away, dat person pine away. Yo'll pine away an' die. Or either put it on a toadfrog in a box wit dat graveyard [dirt] an' put it undah de steps. Go out yo' home an' put it undah de steps an' dat frog will stay dere nine days until he pass away an' die. Dat person will die. Jis' lak de graveyard dirt an' de crawfishes molt away, yo' molt away.
Entry 6545
You take frogs and kill them and get their blood, and put it in a bottle and keep it, and put it in some- thing they eat and frogs will be in them. You can hear them hollering the same as in the spring.
Entry 6547
Yo' take a toadfrog an' jis' lak yo' drink sweet milk, ah'll put a drog of 'is blood in dis sweet milk, an' in nine days it will come in yore body.
Entry 6548
Yo' kin take a toadfrog an' hang 'im up an' kill 'im. Hang 'im fron' de fiah an' git nine drops of blood out dis frog an' put it in whiskey. Take de frog an' take an' kill 'im. If yo' kin git a snake, yo' kin take an' kill a snake an' git nine drops of 'is blood, an' put it in whiskey fo' yo'. It won' kill yo' right away. Yo' gon'a live an' be sick, but atter while dey gon'a be so big [inside you] dey kill yo'.
(How do they get those live things out?)
Well, lak dey put 'em in yo'. Go ketch yo' a snake an' don' kill 'im. Jis' split 'im open 'live an' - lak he's mad hot - an' smash it on dere, an' dat takes [those live things] outa yo'.
(Well, how do you get those frogs out?)
De same way wit snakes. Don' kill de frog, jis' ketch de frog while it's hot. Jis' play wit 'im or somepin an' make 'im mad. An' git 'im while he's mad, yo' see, an' split 'im right open an' slap it right on dat place, an' it will take de frogs out.
Entry 9861
Yo' kin trim a fat-lightah splintah, lak a peg outa it, an' yo' ketch dat toadfrog befo' de sun rise. Anyway, kill 'im befo' de sun rise. Yo' push dat peg through 'im an' yo hold 'im dere until he dies. Den yo' take de peg outa dere an' tie a cord roun' 'is feet, an' yo' kin hang 'im up any- where on a bush. Or jis' take a stake an' put 'im on it an' make yore wish, In de Name of de Fathah, de Son an'Holy Ghost. If yo' wan'a person tuh move, yo' kin stick it up an' make dem move; if yo' want luck, yo' kin stick it up an' make yore wish fo' luck.
Entry 9866
Lak ah was mad wit chew an' we lived purty neah where we could git tuh each othah. Ah'd take a toadfrog an' git me a quart bottle an' wash it out good an' clean. An' he may be large but he'll go in; jes' mash [squeeze] 'im an' he'll go right on in alive. Take an' tie a string or wire aroun' de neck de bot- tle, an' climb up in a tree close tuh yuh place - 'long as it's about yuh place - an' hang it dere. Let it hang right dere until dat frog dies. Den take dat bottle down. Take dat bottle down an' take de frog out, an' bury de frog an' put de bottle back up dere. An' if yo' won't leave, yo'll nevah be able tuh work roun' dere; yo' jes' be dere, dat's all.
(Where do you put that bottle?)
Put it right back up, up in de tree.
(What do you do with the frog?)
Burry him.
(Where?)
Right down dere at de root of dat tree, burry de frog. An' if yo' stay dere yo'll nevah be able tuh do nuthin an' yo' more den able...
(Where would you do all this, at your own home?)
At de home - lak ah was mad wit chew, ah would do dis at chure home.
Entry 9883
Ah heah a guy say one time he had had some arguments wit a man an' he Wanted tuh git a way tuh git 'im. He went down tuh de side of a creek-kinda or lak a li'l swamp, an' got 'im a toadfrog. He tuk dis toadfrog an' brought 'im back tuh de house, an' put 'im in a matchbox an' stuck nine straight needles in dis toadfrog's back. An' he stuck nine straight needles in dis toadfrog's back an' he 'sposed tuh stay in dis matchbox nine mawnin's, an' de ninth mawnin' dis toadfrog would die. So he did dat, an' de ninth mawnin' dis toadfrog died. An' he said he went where dis man wuz, aftah dat nine mawnin's an' he said dis man hopped lak a toadfrog. He fixed 'im dat way, so he jes' hop- ped long, long lak a toadfrog. [He cunjured him that way so that he would hop along like a frog.] (Well, is that all he did, just stick the needles in the toadfrog? Nothing else? That's all he did?) Yes, dat's all - jes' went an' caught 'im an' put him in a matchbox an' stick nine needles in 'is back an' fix [here meaning to arrange, not to cunjure] him in a matchbox so he wouldn't git out. An' de ninth mawnin'... (Well, what connection would that toadfrog have with this man? How would he know he Was getting the right man?) [The man's intention was sufficient.] Well, he an' dis man had had a fuss an' dis man beat 'im outa de fuss. He beat 'im an' he wanted tuh git even wit 'im - jes' git dis man.
Entry 9886
Yo' kin take a toadyfrog an' split it open an' put it undahneat' de centah of yuh steps as yo' goin' in. Well, dat toadyfrog will be mortified tuh yuh all de time. Yo' can't go no time. Yo' can't go up nor come down. Dat will make yuh be's sickly all de time.
Entry 9888
If anyone poisoned, yo' kin take a live toadfrog and split 'im wide open an' bind 'im up on dere, it'll take dat 'fect away.
Entry 9889
If a snake bite chew, [I will] start on dat firse [first]. If a snake bite chew an' yo' kin do yore goodsness [aid] fur dat bite right on de minute [immediately], it would he'p tuh git [it] out chew; but if yo' don't [have im- mediate aid] it might run a long ways. Yo' hardly git shet of it. [Without immediate aid a snake bite may be fatal.l But yo ketch yo' a toadfrog an' tie 'em a lettle above dat place dere [the bite]. Take yo' a string an' tie hit up above [the bite]. Don't have it too small [tight] tuh stop yore blood from runnin', yo' know. But have [do] dat an' jes' [as] de poison gwine out from dat frog, de mo' de poison he gwine out [you] chew know, an' it [poison] go right on out [of you]. [Here is the principle of poison kills poison.] An' move yore string, move it all. An' when it [poison] git out good, go tuh de drug stop, an' git chew white smellin' - ah fo'got de name yo' call it. Anyhow yo' go dere an' git it, tuh he'p [help] tuh git chure flesh smooth - yo' ou, lak it was.
Entry 9890
Dey say dat yo' kin take a toadfrog an' tote him till he dies, an' yo' kin cure any kinda complaint dat yo' wants; any complaint, if yo' ketch 'im an' tote him till he dies. (Then what do you do with him?) Yeah, jis' don' squeeze him, but yo' tote him till he dies. Any kinda complaint come tuh yore hand, yo' kin cure it.
Entry 9891
Yo' take a toadfrog alive an' yo' sew it up. Yo' puts 'im in a sack, sew 'im in a sack 'live. An' den ah cain't git tuh yuh bed, see, but dere is a fren' woman dat kin git tuh dere dat is a pers'nal fren' of mine. Ah give huh dat, tell 'uh tuh put it in yuh bed, in yuh mattress, see. An' when she slip dat, put dat in dat mattress, yo' become restless an' dose things will come tuh be in yuh flesh, becuz ah got de frog in dere. An' ah got de needles in dere, dat make de pain come. An' den dat git chew restless on de bed. Don't care when yo' git in dat bed, yo' gotta git out an' gits dressed. An' den all ah got- ta do den, aftah ah got it in dere, ah'll come tuh yuh house; an' when ah come tuh yuh house, if ah ketch yuh back tuh me, see, ah sprin- kle yuh bed wit dese [some kind of] powdahs. Ah sprin- kle dat, else ah drop one or two drops of dat perfume on dere.
Entry 9893
Now, if yo' got a girl an' yo' wan' 'er tuh love yo', yo' kin go tuh one dem red ants baid. Ketch yo' one dem toadfrogs, dem ole rough toadfrogs an' kill 'im. Put dat toadfrog in dat ants baid an' let 'im stay in dat ants baid until dem antses eat 'im up, till he gits tuh where he ain't nuthin but a shell [skeleton]. Den yo' take dat frog den an' yo' git dat straight bone dat runs down 'is back. An' yo' kin take dat bone den an' any woman dat chew want or any man dat chew want, whilst me an' yo' talkin' or me an' 'er talkin', ah stick dat bone in dat garment dat she had on or dat he has on. If ah'm a woman ah stick it in a man [garment] or if ah'm a man ah stick it in a woman [garment]. Yo' see, stick dat bone in dere, jes' a small piece of dat bone, an' leave it in dere. Den yo'll come tuh be mah sweetheart if ah wan' chew, or yo'll come tuh be 'er sweetheart if she wan' chew.
Entry 9896
If yo' wuz a young man an' wan'in' [wanting] a girl an' love der [loved her] an' she wuz not yore class [she was above you] but still yo' wanted 'er, yo' take yo' a toadfrog an' git chew a nice li'l cigah box. Take yo a icepick an' put chew maybe two dozen holes, some in de side an' some on de top, so he git air yo' know. Shet 'im up in dere an' make some airholes in de box. Well, he'll 'vently [eventually] perish tuh death, an' de ants will eat de flesh off 'is bones. De ants will eat all de flesh, dere jes' be de carcass dere. He's got a hook in 'im jes' 'zactly [exactly] lak a fishhook. De ants eat all de flesh off 'im - dere be no skin dere, no nuthin but jes' 'is carcass - in about fo' months. It take about fo' months in de summah. In de fall of de yeah yo' kin git de carcass. Well, he's got a bone right in 'is hip back dere jes" 'zackly lak a fishhook. It shaped jes' lak a fishhook. Well, whut dey wanted de ants tuh do is tuh show 'em de bone, de fishhook. Dey take dis li'l bone an' put it anywhere in yore clothes. If it's 'er, when yo' go tuh see 'er, she'll hang it in yore clothes; or yo'll hang it in 'er clothes. Well, den she's got yo' tied. Dat's whut dey use de toadfrog fo'.
Entry 9900
Yo' git a frog, a toadfrog, an' yo' put 'im in a can. Yo' put some holes in de can an' yo' put 'im ovah a red ants nest, an' let de ants eat de frog. An' when de ants through wit it, yo' go dere an' gits de skeleton of de frog, an' yo'll find a bone in dere, in dis skeleton dat looks lak a fish- bone - a wishbone. [There is no bone in a frog or toad looking like the wishbone in a chicken.] An' yo' takes dis bone an' go out talk- in' wit de girl dat chure tryin' tuh git. If yo' kin hang it in 'er clothes jes' fo' two seconds, why she'll be crazy about chew. An' de only way tuh git unsundah [asunder] from 'er is take dat same bone from anothah frog, an' make a tea an' put some of de watah in sompin lak a bottle of soda watah [a sweet carbonated water of various flavors] or sompin lak dat - nine drop of dis. Den she'll git chew off 'er mind. Othah den dat, she'll stay wit chew.
(That is all she can do to get rid of that.)
Dat's all yo' kin do tuh git rid of dat girl.
(Oh! if you want to get rid of her.)
Yes, if yo' wanta keep 'er, why don't make de tea. (If you want to get rid of her, you get another frog and take it out to the ants bed.) Dat's it.
Entry 9906
Yo' kin take a toadfrog. Now, I had dat - dat wus done tuh me. A man wus co'tin' [courting] me an' he wus co'tin' anothah lady. An' we co'ted fo' a good long while an' ah tole 'im, ah says, "Why don't chew let's git ma'ed?" He say, "Well, ah'm engaged tuh anothah lady tuh git ma'ed." Ah ast 'im, ah say, "Why yo' co'tin' me so long when yo' know yo' wus engaged tuh anothah lady?" He says, "Well, ah guess ah lak yuh." Ah say, "Well, dat ain't busi- ness." Say, "Ah thought chew wus co'tin' me fo' a wife. If ah hadda thought chew wusn't doin' dat, we'd abeen [we would have been] quit long ago, becuz a husband [was] whut ah wus lookin' fo'." He says, "Well, ah'm already [TORTOISE IN GEORGIA] engaged tuh git ma'ed." Ah say, "Well, when yo' goin' git ma'ed?" "Well, we's tuh git ma'ed in June." Ah tole 'im, ah says, "Well, when June come if ah live, yo' won' git ma'ed." He say, "Well, if ah live, ah will git ma'ed." Ah say, "Well, if yo' live yo' won' git ma'ed." So when June come - de lady wus down south - she came. He come ovah an' he tole me, he say, "Well, de lady ah tole yuh about ah wus tuh ma'y, she have come."
[Cylinder change causes the following repetition.]
Ah say, "Well, when yo' goin' git ma'ed? He say, "We's tuh git ma'ed in June." Ah say, "Well, ah tole yuh, yo' wouldn't ma'y her." He say, "Well, Ah don't see how yo' [can say] ah'm not gonna ma'y 'er. If ah live ah'm gonna ma'y huh." Ah say, "Well, if ah live yo' won' ma'y huh." So ah goes tuh a fortunetellah an' dis fortunetellah tole me tuh ketch a toad- frog an' git me a coffee can, a tin coffee can, an' drive holes in de bottom of dat can an up aroun' in dat can tuh 'bout halfway. An' ketch dat frog an' put 'in in dat can an' name him dat puhson's name three times. An' take it tuh a black antses baid an' stir it up, an' set dat can in dere; an' evah two or three days fo' me tuh watch dat can. Go an' look in it evah two or three days. An' when dem antses eat all de meat offa dat frog, tuh bring 'im dat frame [skeleton] in dat can. An' when dat wus done, ah ca'ed it tuh 'im. An' he tole me dere wus some bones in dat frog dat he wus gonna fix in a li'l package fo' me tuh weah shere it'll keep warm nex' tuh me, an' he would nevah ma'y dat wumman. An' he fised de package an' ah went tuh weahin' it. So when de time come fo' him tuh ma'y dis wumman, he come ovah an' he tole me, he sayed, 'Miss Cartah, '' he sayed, "De lady didn't ma'y me." Ah said, "Well, why she didn't ma'y yo'?" He said, "Ah dunno." Ah said, "Well, did yo' buy de papahs?" He say, "Yes, ' say, "Ah bought mah license an' dey cost fo' dollahs an' fifty aents, an' ah went ovah tuh ma'y her an' she tole me she 'clined [declined] de idea of gittin' ma'ed." Ah said, "Well, when did she say she would ma'y yuh?" "She didn't say." Ah said, "Well, yo' oughta make huh tell yuh when she gonna ma'y yuh. She 'clined de idea right now, maybe a li'l latah she might ma'y." He say, "She don' mean tuh ma'y' Ah say, "Yo' reckon she don't?" He say, "No." Ah say, "Why?" "Cuz she given me mah money back. Ah paid fo' dollahs an' fifty cents fo' de license an' she give it back tuh me." Ah say, "Oh well, she don't mean tuh ma'y yo' den." An' den he commence tuh worryin' me tuh ma'y 'im an' ah wouldn't ma'y him den, 'cuz de fortunetellah dat ah'd gone tuh tole me it would happen dat way. An' he tole me, "When he ast chew 'bout ma'in' don' chew ma'y him." Said, "Becuz he wouldn't live long. He would soon stricken an' die an' yo' would soon be a widow ag'in." An' jis' lak he tole me 'bout it, he would ast me 'bout ma'in' 'im, he did. But ah kep' 'im shooed off, an' re'lly, latah he did taken sick an' died. [Here I changed the cylinder. Informant begins by returning to an episode she had omitted, what she had done to make her rival refuse the man.] So dis fortunetellah tole me dat dis woman dat he wus supposed tuh ma'y, she wouldn't ma'y him. He tole me tuh git some li'l boy tuh go on in de swamp or somewhah an' fin' me a gophah - wit fo' laigs, a gophah, yo' know. So ah come back an' got de boys tuh hunt de gophah up an' dey wouldn't fin' one. [The preceding word gopher may confuse the reader. Here in Georgia where I was interviewing, people called the gopher a salamander. What informant means by gopher is a burrowing land tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), the animal and eggs edible.] So ah went back an' tole 'im about it. Ah said, "Well, don' seem lak ah kin git a gophah." Ah say, "It'll have tuh be some othah 'rangements made." Ah said, "Dis man sweahs dat he gonna ma'y dis wumman." He said, "Yo' needn't worry about dat; he ain't goin' ma'y huh." He say, "Well." He got some dirt, some red-lookin' dirt, an' he showed it tuh me. He said, "If ah give yuh some of dis dirt an' tell yuh whut tuh do wit it, would jew be scared tuh do it?" Ah said, "No, ah won't be scared. Ah'll try tuh do it." An' he fixed so much of de dirt in a papah an' give it tuh me. An' he said, "Aftah dahk [dark] - yo' know wheah dis wumman live?" Say, "Yessuh." "Aftah dahk yo' go tuh huh house wheah she live. Don' let no one see yo', if yo' kin he'p it, an' yo' throw dis dirt tuhwards 'er front do', as much as yo' kin, tuh spattah it on de do' an' de porch aroun'. An' she won't nevah ma'y." So ah did dat. So dey didn't ma'y. (You said this was another case where a woman was going to marry the man. This is the same story?) Yes sir, dat's de woman's part of de graveyard dirt. [The reader may recall that my informant told us her rival de lady was down south. Here we were in southern Georgia not too far from Florida! I found this down south all along the Atlantic coast from Maryland southward. The south was always somewhere farther south!]
Entry 9908
Yo' kin ketch a toadfrog an' yo' bur' 'im [bury him]. Dere's two or three ways about a frog. Yo' ketch a toadfrog an' yo' bur' 'im, an' put 'im in a ants baid an' de ants done pick 'im bad. An' den aftah dat, why yo' takes 'is bones. Don' want no flesh on 'is bones. An' weah it in yore pocket. An' den if it's a woman dat chew wanted tuh be wit, why yo' jes' tetch 'er wit dat frog [bones].
Entry 9922
Ketch a toadfrog an' kill 'im an' drop nine drops of blood in a blf pint of whiskey, an' dat'll stop him.
(From drinking - a heavy liquor drinker.)
Entry 9923
Ketch a toadfrog an' put warts all ovah yo'. Take dat an'.git 'is oranoah lye, yo' know, when he make watah, an' git warts all ovah yo'. Take dat an' put dat chamber lye on yo' an' dere comes warts all ovah yo'... (How would they put that on a person?) They would throw it on 'em. [Wilson, N. Car., (1573),! 2680:3.]
Entry 9925
Take a toadfrog an' squeeze him an' take his watah [urine] out of 'im, if a person yo' don't like, see. Squeeze him till yo' git 'is watah outa him. An' when yo' git 'is watah outa 'im, take a li'l blue- stone an' mix it up wit dat toadfrog watah, an' add some of yore watah [urine] tuh it. It will cause de person tuh swell up. Yo' give it tuh 'em in a drink or somepin, dey'll swell up an' bust.
Entry 9928
(Oh, the shoe! You mean the rubber tire - automobile, the inner tube, the inside tube?) Yes, sir. Well, all right. Well, yo' take dat an' burn it an' git de ashes of it an' take sompin - take a little ole rock camphah an' put wit dat. See. All right den, well, now an' den yo' ketch yuh a toadyfrog. Yo' understand now. All right, ketch yuh a toadyfrog an' ef yo' don' wanta kill de toadyfrog - ah done fry de toadyfrog, fry him in a pan. An' git de grease outa 'im an' put dat in dere. An' rub dat on de bottom of yore foot [feet].
(What will that do then?)
Dey can't harm [cunjure] yo'. [The burning of the rubber tire, causing a bad odor, deters witchcraft; see Scatologic Methods to Repulse Witcheraft, Nos.16481- 16499, PP.903-909, FOLKLORE FROM ADAMS COUNTY ILLINOIS, 2nd ed., 1965.]
Entry 9933
Yo' kin take a person's stockin's an' take de same thing, toadfrog dust an' bury it in de root of a tree, a young tree while it's yet growin', an' in a few yeahs dey'll pass away. Dey daid. (You mean you put this frog dust in this stocking?) No, yo' take de same dust an' wrap it up in de socks an' pick yo' a good little place in de root of de tree, whah de root growin' whah it's goin'a covah it up. Well, fin'ly dat root covah it up an' smothah it so it cain't git no air, yore gone.
Entry 9935
Git de toadfrog. Yo' take him an' kill 'im an' aftah yo' kill 'im, plug 'is eyes out an' leave it dry an' makin' a powdah wit it. Yo' throw dat in de person's stockin's or in dey undahweah or anywheah [in clothing] an' in a length of time it'll go in de po's [pores] dat-a-way, an' it'll create one de baddest so [sores] an' ah don' care whut de phi-si-ci-an will give yo', he ain't goin' tuh stop it. It'll become tuh be kinda lak a cancah.
(Just a bad sore?)
Yes.
Entry 9937
Yo' kin take a toad- frog, an' in takin' dat toad- frog, yo' kin bake de toady- frog an' take his ashes. An' yo' kin rub lak yo' rub yore han' on a piece of papah, rub it right lak dis [dem- onstrates], an' yo' kin drop dose ashes in watah. See. If dey have enemies, dey give 'em dat. Give 'em tuh de person dat dey wanta give 'em tuh, yo' kow, an dey drink 'em. Well, perhaps in a few days dey'll be coughin' up toadfrogs, spittin' out toadfrogs.
Entry 9939
Take a toadfrog. Ketch 'im 'live an' git chew a hot pot. Put dat toadfrog in dere an' fry 'im up an' let 'im go tuh a dust. Take dat toadfrog an' he go tuh a dust. An' yo' take an' git chew de best of whiskey, an' put dat toad- frog in dere an' yo' strain dat. Yo' strain it an' den yo' come along an' ah'll drink it. When yo' drink, jis' lak de toadfrog swell up, yo' swell up an' yo' die.
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 9945
You can take the shoe and you can bury it at the step, but before you yary it you put some parsley in it. And get one of these here bullfrogs - these toadfrogs - and bury that at your step, an' she'll have that man under her all his days. You put the frog in there too with the parsley, in the shoe and bury that shoe, and she would have hin under her all the time.
Entry 9946
Dat's tuh bring a man back home. Well, dey takes 'im an cuts 'im half in two - dat's de tadfrog - cuts 'im half in two an' buries 'im around de house. Dat is supposed cab bring de man back home. Jes' one toadfrog.
Entry 9948
Dey take dat ole toad- frog an' stew 'im up, take 'im an' stew 'im up. An' yo' know de people dat is dirty. Dey take dat"ole toad- frog an' stew 'in up an' put 'im intuh sompin tuh eat, what chew eat, but chew won't know anything about it. Ah have had 'em do dat tuh me, yes sir. Dey take dat ole toadfrog, yo' know, an' skin 'im an' dry 'im, an' mix it wit somepin tuh eat what dey cooks. Ah reckon dey done me dat way. An' yo' know when dey stew 'em - it lak stew, jes' lak dat - yo' take a ole bullfrog, ole long bullfrog, yo' know, an' skin 'im. He looks lak a chicken [after he is skinned]. Well, dey take de ole othah toadfrog an' stew 'im up. Cook 'im right along wit somepin tuh eat. An' yo'll take it all right. Yo' go dere an' eat at night. Den when yo' come in dat nex' day look lak yo' gonna jes' go fer 'er an' eat 'er up - jes' lak yo' wanta eat 'er up. Make yo' crazy about 'er.
Entry 9949
An' yo' kin take a toadfrog an' a snake shed. Undahstand, git a blacksnake shed an' a toadfrog, an' put it in yuh house. Dat'll make yuh wife stay at home. She won't bothah wit nobody else. But yo' have tuh keep it in yuh house.
Entry 9953
(Will you talk louder?)
See, scrape de bottom of yuh foot.
(Yes?)
Git dat dirt out from under de track dere, see, an' put it in a bag, yo' uni dahstan'. Sew it up, yo' see. An', so ah'm told, git a toadfrog. Sew 'im up in dere wit dat bag. Dat is what dey call a hoodoo bag. See, dat's got chew hoodooed den. Dey'll take dat, take dat an' tote it. Yo' undahstan'. An' takes it an' yo' weahs it dere in yuh house, put it some place in yuh cornah, an' dat'll bring about dat, yo' see.
(Well, what will that do to me, if they put that in the corner of my house?)
Well, dat'll cuz yuh - yo' can't stay at home. Yo' go mindless, yo' udah- stan'. Prob'bly set chew crazy or somepin lak dat. Yo' ain't at yuhself. Always runnin'. Can't stan' still.
(How many foot tracks of mine would they take up, I wonder?)
They wouldn't want but one.
(One?)
One.
(Would they take the right one or the left? Either one?)
Either one.
Entry 9961
(You take an ordinary toadfrog?) A ordinary toadfrog. Don't kill 'im. Stop 'im up in a bottle an' let 'im die. He'll dry up in dere, an' den yo' kin jis' crumple it up. Put it in a piece, sew it up in a piece [of cloth] an' put it in yuh pocket. Yo' boun' tuh win. Ah knows dat.
Entry 9965
Take a toadfrog an' skin 'im an' put 'im in yore pocket, an' nobody cain't hahm [harm] yo' no way. An' yo' [also] kin go all ovah in games, play games, an' yo' win.
Entry 9968
Heard dat yo' could git a toadfrog an' stop 'im up till he's dry an' mash 'im up; yo' mov, parch 'im an' git de dust an' carry it in a bottle. Yo' know, jes' put it in a bottle an' stop it up an' tote it in yore pocket. Well, ah've heard dat but nevah have tried dat. (Do you use it in any way at all on you? This is for gambling, this toad dust. Do you sprinkle that on yourself too?) No, sir, jis' carry it [bottle] in yore pocket.
Entry 9975
Fo' luck in gamblin', why yo' kin take a toadfrog an' sew 'im up in a sack an' put 'im in yore inside pocket some- where an' dat'll make yo' lucky in gamblin'.
Entry 9983
Now, ah have tried a lotta things in gamblin' an' ah made tvo pretty aood success of it [two successful periods in life]. Now, if a man is a gamblah an' he goin' tuh a good game tuhnight, he might go out in de country dis evenin' befo' he go tuh dat game. An' jis' about dahk [dark] - yo' know dese li'l ole toad- Srog dey always come out, yo' know, jumpin' round. An' if yo' git holt of one da toadfrogs, yo'll wrap it up in yuh han'ke'ch'ef good an' put it in yuh pocket. An' all de money yo' wanta bet on in dat game, yo' bet it out dat same pocket yo' got dat frog in, an' nobody couldn't ketch yo' twixt heah an' Tampa [Florida].
Entry 9986
If a fellah wants tuh be lucky an' go tuh a place where dere's plenty of money at, an' he wants de othah fellah tuh fall, he go out an' kill 'im a toadfrog, an' he dries dat frog up. Den he go up, if he got a chimley, an' git one dese bats dat flies roun' de chimley - chimley bats. [Does informant mean chimney swallow?] Gits one of 'em. Den he'll dry it, an' he'll put dat frog an' dat bat in each one of 'is pockets. He's got a pair of dice in dere. [What informant means by preceding expression will be learned later.] Take dem dice out an' rub 'em in han' dat-a- Way [demonstrates] aftah he done tech de frog or eithah de bat. Now, yo' got a gamblin' house heah. Well, yo' 'lowin' [allowing] people tuh shoot dey own dice [not the house dice]. Well, ah'm yuh gamekeepah. Ah'm [I am = I have] got a stack of dollahs ovah heah [demonstrates]. Well, yo' come heah an' yo' say, "Ten dollahs fo' tuh shoot." Ah say, "Yo' want any dice?" "No, ah'm got a pair of dice." "Shoot 'em, "[I say]. Well yo' throw 'em out. Firs' time dey'll crap. Nex' time dey'll crap. He's back in 'is p'int [point] up dere. An' he say, "Ah ain't got no p'int [point] ah'll ketch mah p'int." Well, when he ketch a p'int, he might ketch a fo', six or eight or ten, an' right dere where ah'm done both. An' if ah speak up tuh 'im, he'll have de whole business. Dat's fo' a gamblin' han'.
(You use either of those?)
Eithah one of 'em. Gotta put one in each one of 'is pockets dis-a-wa y[demon- strates] an' when he gits ready - don' pull 'em out. He puts 'is han' on 'em an' rub 'em dis-a-way, see [demonstrates]. (Does he have both parts of the dice [the two dice] in one pocket, or one in each pocket?)
[Here I am surprised!]
Naw, he has two sets of dice, see. If he have one set of dice, he kin put 'em in each one [either] of 'is pockets - it mattahs ary [either] one of 'is pockets will do. But yo' gotta change it up sometime from one pocket tuh de othah, see. De frog he's dried up an' de bat he dried up.
Entry 9987
Tuh git luck fo' gamblin' yo' goes an' git chew a toadfrog. If a man is a gamblin'-man, he goes an' gits 'im a toadfrog an' take dat toadfrog an' ketches 'im an' goes tuh any drygoods sto' [to distinguish from Wetgoods store!] an' buy 'im a box of black peppah an' red pappah an' some table salt. An' he put it in dat frog's mouth. An' when he put dat in dat frog's mouth, de frog'll go tuh coughin', an' he [man] come on back tuh dis gamblin' - where he be gamblin' at - an' he take dat salt an' throw yuh [his] han' out lak dat [demonstrates] tuh throw dat salt all ovah de whole crowd. An' dat frog he'll go tuh coughin' wit dat peppah an' will start tuh movin' roun'. An' he wins at evahthin' da' 'tis [that is] in de game. Jes' gits 'im a toadfrog, jis' a hoppin' toadfrog. Toadfrog anywhere hoppin' 'long - anywhere, jis' pick 'im up. Jis' reach down an' grab 'im an' take dat frog an' rub 'im in yore han' lak dat [demonstrates] an' go on tuh a game. An' go buy yo' some black peppah an' take it an' throw about a box in 'is mouth, an' shet 'is mouth up an' go on tuh de game. An' git chew a handful of salt an' when yo' git in de house, yo' take dat salt an' does lak dat [demonstrates]. An' when yo' do's lak dat, dat frog go tuh coughin'. When he go tuh coughin', well dat starts evahbody tuh lookin', an'evahbody lose all dey winnin's.
Entry 1271
Well, dey use toadfrogs for fitses. Well, someone might put a fit on yo' - on anyone. Dey takes de toadfrog - takes de toadfrog 'live an' take an' tie him right round yore neck an' yo' worry de frog an' de fits will go right out of yo'into de frog an' it'll run him crazy an' he kill himself.
Entry 1272
Take a toadfrog an' tote him in yore pocket 'live fo' chills.
(Just put him alive?)
Yes, put him in yore pocket 'live.
Entry 1274
All right, she had me - ah did it mahself. Ah went an' caught a bull- frog, not a bullfrog but a toadfrog, up heah in de yard. After I caught dis toadfrog, she took dis frog an' put him in a little cloth like an' put dis frog right on her side an' wore him dere fo' a few days until dat frog died. After dat frog died den dis pain left her jes' on account of wearing dat frog dere.
Entry 1275
(How do they cure the whooping cough?)
Well, dey jes' take a toadfrog an' kill him an' make a soup an' cure de whoopin' cough.
(What do they do with that soup?)
Give it to the child to drink.
Entry 1277
And then you kin take a toadfrog - you know these toadfrogs. Well, just like person got rheumatism - I don't tell nobody this one, though. That's one I made plenty money on. Just like a person got rheumatism.
(Yes.)
You know these toadfrogs that hop around at night. You kin take - you gather them and stew 'em down and take that grease and grease people. Ah'm de only one in dis town kin cure rheumatism. I've cure many people round here of rheumatism.
Entry 1707
You take an old toadfrog and you gut him and you spread him on top of a house and you let him dry, and then you take him and grind him, mash him up real fine, and then you sew that in a little sack about this size, sew it up good. If anybody tries to harm you, all you do is put this in your pocket and tote this here along in your pocket and then that will drive the enemy away. He can't harm you at all.
[Informant shows small bag.]
(What is in that sack there? What is that for?)
That is dried frog feet.
(What is that for?)
That is to keep all enemies down.
(You have that in the shape of a triangle.)
No, that's in the shape of a heart. [See margin-title Heart-Shaped Hand.]
Entry 1881
Take a toadyfrog an' put him in yore pocket. Yo' kin tell ev'ry time yo' gon'a fall - why, by him raisin' up in yore pocket. Mah husband was a gambler.
(You mean every time you want to play the frog would raise up?)
Ev'ry time yo' goin' fall, ev'ry time yo' goin' tuh lose - so yo' know how tuh bid.
Entry 1883
Take a toadfrog an' put him in yore right pocket an' go to a skin game. If this frog will nevah kick, yo'll win; but if he'll kick, yo' can't win.
[Fayetteville, N. Car., (1407), 2530:3.]
[The kicking or puffed up frog in the preceding beliefs is a type of Diagnosis
(p.165f.) or Jack (p.190f.).]
Entry 1884
Ketch a toadfrog and put it in yo' pocket and keep yo' hand on it and as dey play, you know, and turn de cards why yo' hand will be on de toadfrog and that will bring yo' luck.
Entry 6564
A live toadfrog - eithah yo' kin take a DAID FROGGY'S SKIN, rubs it up while it's dry, an' put it in anybody's food or whiskey or anything, an' dey'll drink it, why dey subject tuh havin' dese toadfrog.
(You said if a person was poisoned. What did you do with the frog?)
IF HE'S LIVE, TAKE DIS LIVE FROG AN' LIE HIM ON DE MISERY.
(What will that do?)
Dat WILL DRAW IT FROM YO' IF HE'S LIVE.
(If the person has been tricked or anything?)
Yes.
Entry 10006
Yeah, yo' kin take a rough-back toadyfrog. Yo' kin take him an' he kin stop any kinda what chuh may call magic trick. He kin stop any magic trick regardless of what or what-not. Dat's providin' de people don't know dat yuh got it [live frog]. If dey know yuh got 'im, dey can't do nuthin. Yo' see, a man took one of 'em once here in de city [charleston]. Dere was a big show up dere on de Green an' he took one in dere an' dey put 'im out! Absolutely! Dey cer- tainly did, put 'im out! [He] put 'im [frog] right in 'is co't pocket, pinned 'em down, an' walk on in de show. An' immediately aftah he walk in de show, evah thing become plain - what dey doin', see. All de magic was cut out. Evah thing come right plain. An' dey walk right tuh 'im immediately an' put 'im out - put 'im out de show. Dey knew it jes' as good as a book.
Entry 10007
Yo' go an' take a toadfrog. Ketch a live toadfrog an' anywhere where dey got scientific [magic] work goin' on - yo' ketch dat toadfrog an' yo' put 'im in a papah bag or a can or anythin', somepin dat he kin stay alive. An' yo' put it in yore pocket an' yo' goes an' dey cain't work no kinda scientific work. Lak dese heah fairs an' thin's have all dese shows, showin' yuh diff'ren' thin's. Where dey goes an' take people haid off dere body an' all sech as dat. Why yo' git dat frog an' go dere an' dey cain't work dere scientific work.
Entry 10010
Take a toadfrog. Dat's de hoppy toad. Yo' kin take dat an' put it in yuh pocket, an' yuh go intuh a show an' dat'll stop it. He [you] have tuh go outa dere.
(What kind of a show?)
A big circus.
(Any kind of show, it will stop it?)
No, les' a circus.
Entry 13312
A felon, yo' take de live toadfrog an' split him open an' stick yore finger right in him, an' it will cure it.
Entry 9870
Den anothah thing, yo' kin take a toadfrog an' tie him by his laig, hin' laig, an' call de person name. If his name James, jis' call 'is name an' whip de frog jis' 'bout tuh death, an' take him an' throw him away, an' in about six months time dat person will hop jis' lak dat frog, see.
(You tie that around either leg?)
Eithah laig.
Entry 9875
Yo' kin take a toadfrog an' write de name of a person an' stick it in dat frog an' bury it in a crawfish hole. Yo' know, push it [toad] backwards in de crawfish hole an' shet dat hole up, an' den what dat toadfrog bust open dey'll bust open. (You just write that name once on a piece of paper?) Write de name once or twice or three times jis' lak yore mind leads yo', an' jis' put it [paper] down in it
[frog]. Den put him down in dat hole an' cover it up. Fix it so dat dey [toad]
cain't come outward, yo' know, an' he's bound tuh die. When he die, yo're gone.
Entry 9951
Git a toadfrog an' sleep on it fo' nine days. If they [some person is] hard tuh git along with, that'll make 'em come in the house an' be peaceful.
Entry 1878
Use a toadyfrog for lotsa luck an' fo' gamblin' or somethin' lak dat. Yo' kin take a frog an' put him in yore left pocket an' when yo' take an' put him in yore left pocket, yo' take dat cologne an' yo' kin jes' kinda sprinkle it on him in yore pocket. But chew have him tied so dat de people would [not know you had him] - have him tied up. An' jes' whenevah dat yo' go to de gamblin' game or anythin', if dat frog start tuh jumpin' or somepin lak dat, well yo'll be suc- cessful in whut chew doin'; but if he's not, dere won't be anythin' to it.
Entry 3098
[Molly Lee, a white doctor, had quite a reputation. I first heard about her while I was collecting in Richmond. Since I did not interview white doctors (see INTRODUCTION), I assumed she lived in or near Richmond - a false assumption. The following well-known and commonplace rite attributed to her does this doctor an injustice. Any woman who could receive her crystal ball from the spirits (561, p.178) must have been original and competent.] I knows once in my time, a woman had a man for her husband, and she lived over here in Suffolk. Maybe you heard something, too. There's a lady the other day, lady named Molly Lee, a white lady, she claims do it. She done something. She's a great woman for wrestlin' with young boys. She has a young boy down dere and she say, "Go ketch me a young frog - a toadfrog." And he get that frog and go put a board or something on him so that he can't get away - wouldn't kill him, fasten him down where he'd stay there and die, and the ants eat him up. Let de ants eat him up, you know, all to a skeleton. And in that frog's bones, find a little bone in 'em just exactly like fish scale. And there's another bone in 'em that is used, too, like a fishhook. You know, a little point to it - wasn't, see, all de way; but just more like a fishhook than any other bone. You kin take that bone - now, this has happened, this is not - but this is the bone that the boy had. She take that bone and hook it into a person's coat.
(Into what?)
Into somebody's clothes - just as you pass by, you know, just hook it into somebody's clothes and don't you pull it out, and he'll fall for you just as far as you'll let him. And at de same time this other little bone like a fish scale, see, when you get a chance to do it. Well, you see, if you can't get 'em to you, you can't drive them away. That's what they always says. And you come and just put dat bone just like a little fish scale, drop it on 'em, and just stay like you never seen 'em before. You'll never get dis bone out yourself. If you don't put dat fish scale on 'em, dat's finished - dey's gone and you'll never see 'em no more. He just gone from you just as free if he never been with you atall. (I see. If you want to keep them, you put this little hook; and if you want to drive them away, you put this fish scale on them.) Yes.
(And this is what that woman over in Suffolk did with these young boys?)
Well, she would have these boys ketch frogs for her.
(Oh! She had those boys catch frogs for her.)
Only little boys what is barefoot. Woman had children big as me. (I see. She did that though to get these other men, but she had that little boy catch the frogs for her. That was her way of getting a man and sending him away if she didn't want him - got tired of him.) Yes. And I mean, they ain't been back. That is what they used. I don't know whether there's anything else now that she did besides that, 'cause I've been there. I've gone over there in my automobile. That's what he carried on back. [Informant drove a client over to Molly and that is what she gave him to use for himself.]
(Is she supposed to be a root doctor or something?)
She is that.
(Molly Lee?)
Molly Lee.
(Is she still living?)
Yes sir, fur as I know. I have never heard of her being dead.
Entry 11747
Dey tell me dey will git some graveyard dirt an' go tuh a wasp where wasps make a nest at - an' aggravate some of 'em an' kill dem. Den dey go an' git de frog an' aggra- vate de frog an' kill him. Den dey go an' git a snake an' aggravate a snake an kill him. An' den dey would take de head offa all of "em an' burn 'em. An' aftah burnin' it, mash it on up into a dust an' mix dat graveyard dirt wit it. An' if yo' go dere an' have yore hat wit chew or anything lak dat, an' dey kin git a little of it in yore hat. Aftah puttin' yore hat on, dat's all dey have tuh do tuh git it in yore clothes somehow or 'nothah, an' it'll be in yo'. Weah dat in yore clothes. An' at de young moon, dat's de time dey have tuh do it, on de young moon, an' as de growin' of de moon, why it will grow in yo'.
(What will grow in you?)
Dat wasp an' dat snake an' dat toadfrog.
(That puts live things in you?)
Dat put live things in yo'.
Entry 548
Dat's one part ah nevah did believe in, Captain, ah have tuh tell yo' 'bout dat. Ah've heard - a man have come tuh me an' told me that since ah wus a married man in mah home dat folks had done somepin to.me - ah wus in hard luck, an' if ah would give him so much cash he could go an' git me - put somepin - a toadfrog an' de tail of redhead scorpion - an' ah could avoid all de troubles dat ah wus goin' have in mah home, sech as. An' then, too, once when ah first married, a man come tuh mah home an' claimed to be.a root man - a man could give han's. He said to me - ah hol' de Bible on mah desk - ah'd comed in from mah job and was there settin' down talkin' wit mah wife - he said that someone wus goin' git between me an' mah wife - he could take dat Bible an' make dat Bible dance. He said, "Now, this yo' Bible - yo' bought dis Bible." "Ah didn't bought it." He said, "No? Yo' bought it an' yo' present it to yore wife." An' he said, "Anyway, anybody is working against yo' an' against yore wife," said, "ah kin make dis Bible tell us by dancing, as I call to it." So I set there an' listen awhile after de man talked. Yo' know how a fellow when he don't believe whut yo' saying. Ah says, "Well, now yo' come with han's. I understand dat yo's a man go roun' givin' han's." Ah said, "Well, ah bought dat Bible as yo' say an' present to mah wife. Ah did, but so fur as de Bible dancing, ah don' believes dat any man on earth kin make a Bible dance. But ah do believe dis," ah said, "ah know dat ah kin make yo' dance." An' ah set dere awhile an' he commence talkin'.about a fo'k - he could take a fo'k an' put dat fo'k - two fo'ks in de Bible an' talk to it an' it would dance, a natural dance with a man, an' he say if ah didn't believe, he could make it cut up a jig, jes' lak an ole-time jig-dance. People used to say jiggin'. An' he said he could make dat Bible do that. So ah didn't give him time to make de Bible do it. Ah jes' tole him, ah said; "Now, listen, jes' wait'll ah come out in de road an' ah'll find out can't yo' dance de same as de Bible." An' he leaved. (In preaching and getting around the country, meeting people, do you find that belief in that stuff is dying out - the belief in this conjuration and witchcraft is dying out? Or is there as much of it now as there was when you were a boy?) No sir, not as much, now as it was when ah wus young Well, about as much, but then folks don't partake of it as bad as dey did then. Yo' know, 'way back dere, folks wus a little mo' dumber den dey is now, an' anything lak dat would pretty near - a fellah would take on to him ["take him in"].
Entry 1431
That how they use the toadfrog. (How do they use that?) The toad - you know what the toadfrog best to do? You can take a toadfrog and burn him - take him alive and put him in something and burn him till he turns to real coal, and powder that up and feed that to a person. I'll bet you, if they won't have more little diff'rent things in their stomachs than you ever heard of and I'll betcha a doctor can't cure em.
(Is there any way of getting that out at all?)
Yes, you can even get that out of a person.
(How?)
It's a simple thing to get out of 'em. There's but one thing you can get it out of them with, that's pure sugar and rain water; but you must not get no water out of anything 'cepting glass, no kind of metal.
(How would you fix this rain water and pure sugar?)
Just ketch pure rain water like when it's rainin' - just put something out there to catch it - any container - and just fill that full of rain water and just keep that rain water, and instead of getting that person water that come from the hydrant, feed 'em that pure rain water. That's all they gotta have.
(That will bring these live things out of them?)
Bring them live things out of 'em. That's all - just pure, pure rain water - nothing else used but that rain water.
Entry 1876
Take a toadfrog an' put him in his pocket an' keep him in dere an' dat will give him plenty luck an' plenty money - dat toadfrog. If he's not lucky at all why dat toadfrog won't stay wit him; an' if he is, why dat frog will continue stayin' with him.
Entry 1880
They catch them a toadfrog and puts him in their pocket and the money - the first bet that they win, they put that money in that pocket with that frog, and as that frog swell in his pocket, well you going to be winning the game.
(If that frog swells in the pocket?)
In that there pocket - yes, sir.
(You mean - how do you mean swells?)
Just - you know how they get - they just puff out that way. Well, as he begin to puff out, you just win and win till you break the ante.
Entry 2329
Well, from mah own experience, ah have a couple of things dat ah know of in gambling: Ah git some root dey call de High John de Conker, an' Ruler of de Worl' an' King Of Man - lak de king of anything, lak de King of England, somepin. An' ah have anothern dey call de Eve-an'-Adam [Adam-and-Eve]. An' ah experience of de High John de Conker an' Ruler of de Worl' an' King of Man - ah've gambled wit dat. (How would you fix that up? How would you prepare that?) [I tried to avoid prepare - see what he does with it.] Well, it be compared up wit Hearts Cologne in a little bottle [this is a bottle hand] an' as yo' go into de game - befo' yo' go into de game yo' take some of it an' po' it in de palm of yore han', rub it, see [demonstrates]. Rub it on yore han' an' rub it on yore face. Yo' might take de bottle lak yo' put perfume on yo' an' tetch it on heah couple of times. Den yo' goes on in de game an' if anybody have put any cookin' salt on yo' or somepin lak dat, yore luck won't be no good. It can't be touched by no othah man but jes' de one who handles it - yore wife, yore husband, or yore sister or nobody lak dat. If dey do, why den yore luck begin tuh change - it's bad.
(If somebody would put cooking salt there, it would kill that luck?)
Kill it - dat's right. Or either yo' kin take a red pocket han'kerchief an' band dat roun' yore waist with one dose ole hoppy toadfrogs. If anybody got roots or anything lak dat of de kind in de game, why yo' kin tell it by dis frog.
(What will the frog do?)
He will holler jes' lak it rainin' or somepin lak dat - jes' lak a frog holler when it's rainin'. Dat's to notify yo' dere's somepin dere wrong.
(There's something wrong in the game?)
Dat's right. An' if it any kinda root - de King of Man, or either de High John de Conker, or Eve-an'-Adam, dey won't stand no salt or no othah han's on it but yores after yo' git it. If yo' do, yo' conceal it wit bad luck. If yo' kin keep it without anybody han' on it, without anybody puttin' de cookin' salt on it - lak folks standin' in de game behin' yore back dey sprinkle salt on yo'. Dat's tuh put chew in bad luck.
Entry 3760
A fellah tole me that chew kin go to work an' jest ketch a toadfrog - an' if yore nature gone, jest take a toadfrog an' jest rub in betwixt yore legs three times [demonstrates]. (Down or up? That way?) Up. Thataway three times, an' then throw it ovah yore left shoul- der an' walk right on off an' don't nevah look back an' say that will bring yore nature. [As the discarded frog springs up and hops away, so will the man's instrument spring up - provided he does not look back to see what the frog is doing.]
Entry 4930
Yuh take yore stockin' - if de man wants a woman, he takes 'er right- footed stockin' an' he'll put a frog, a life toadfrog, an' he'll put dat frog in dat stockin', tie him up in dere, carry 'im tuh de sunpo'ch[!] an' put 'im right undah de steps, right in de centah of de steps an' bury it, bury dat right down dere. (This man puts the toadfrog in her right-foot stocking and buries it right in the center of the steps. Is that all he needs to do?) An' den git holt of candy or dope or sompin an' wear it. Yuh kin tote de stockin' but yuh have tuh tote de stockin' wit'out de frog in yore pocket.
(But what would that do then, after you bury that stocking under the step?)
That will hold 'er undah 'is - not 'er, but undah his'n feet. Dat keeps 'er.
(What did he do with his pee?)
Kin take dat - if she drinks whiskey or dope or anythin', give her some chqmber lye in dat. Dat will change her, dat'll keep 'er. Dat stockin' an' all dat goes tuhgethah. De stockin', yuh kin take it den - de stockin', yuh kin take dat an' de frog, an' yuh kin put 'em tuhgethah in - kin carry 'em tuh watah an' throw 'em ovah- bo'd. Dat will [make] 'em leave yuh.
(You keep that live frog in the stocking?)
Dat's right, dat'll make 'em leave.
Entry 5896
Well now, whut about de frog. Dat's about a woman's hair. Well, yo' din take her hair an' TIE IT TO A TOADFROG an' he'll hop aWay wit it, an' DAT'LL DC HER SIT DOWN AN' SLEEP ALL DE TIME. An' if yo' TIE IT TO A BIRD an' let 'im fly away, dat'll MAKE HER HAVE DE aDaCHE all de time. Yo' PUT IT IN A BOTTLE AN' STOP IT UP an' go to runnin' watah an' throW it in rumin' watah, an' dat'll run 'er off. An' a man kin take it an' PUT IT IN 'IS WATCH FOB or EITHAH TIE IT UP IN A RAG, THREE KNOTS in a rag, an' put it in his Watch pocket an' dat'll make her love him.
Entry 6558
Well, ah heard dat yo' kin take de toadfrog. Yo' kin take de toadfrog an' ketch 'im alive an' put 'im in somepin [on or near the fire] an' let 'im git done, where yo' could jis' powdah 'im up lak yo' would powdah. An' put 'im in some whiskey an' give tuh de person an' it'll turn tuh frogs.
Entry 6560
Lak if yo' wanta put frogs in somebody, yo' ket' chew a toadfrog an' gut 'im an' hang 'im up an' let 'im git pumb bone dry. Jis' dry 'im from a plumb hard dry. Yo' go dere an' yo' take him in a han'kerchef or sompin an' yo' beat dat frog up - beat 'im up real fine, jis' fine as yo' kin git 'im. Well, jis' lak yo' come in an' say, "So-an'-so, [I won' chew come have some dinnah or sup- pah wit me." Always have dat fixed fo' 'em. Yo' wan'a git dem frogs in 'em. Jis' sprinkle it in dat soup or jis' any othah kinda meat, an' dey eats dat stuff, while dat frog will jis' create in 'em. Now, hit ain't goin' work outa dem, it's gonna stay in 'em.
Entry 6565
Down right on Hanover Street, why SHE HAD FROGS IN HER. Suah [sure] she had frogs. Now, dey li'le toadfrogs what jump aroun', understand. Jis' lak yo' out in de country, see dese li'le ole rough back frogs jumpin', yo' know, why jis' ketch 'em an' yo' kept 'em an' jes' let 'em - put 'em on a rag or sompin lak dat an' let 'em make a li'le watah, yo' undahstan'. All right, dey make a li'le watah an' yo' jis' kin take dat an put it across a person [person's] somepin tuh eat, yo' undahstan', yo' more dan apt tuh git frogs an' skippahs an' crawfish - all kind of insex intuh yo' by dat. [The word skipper I have discussed elsewhere. It is not something looking like a butterfly, but a maggot infesting meat. I personally knew only the skipper in bone-cured ham, the world's greatest jumper for its size.]
Entry 6568
Dey takes a toadfrog. See, dey takes a toadfrog an' put dat toadfrog alive - put 'im undah de step wit a li'le sulphuh right undah *Is chin dere, an' if de people walks ovah 'im, dat put de toadfrog into de person.
Entry 6798
Some things is purtty good. Now a person, if he is EAT POISONED, yo' kin take a toadfrog - yo' know dese toadfrogs whut hop a li'le short hop. Yo' kin take one of dem an' split 'im open an' bind 'im on 'is side or on 'is laig an' yo' know, evah bit of dat poison will come outen it. Evah bit of it will come outen it.
Entry 6800
At de fiahplace [fireplace], dere anyone dressed at. Ah've seen dat done, anybody dressed or deals at chore house. Yore han's - yore han' will com- mence risin' an' swellin' an' goin' on up, an' yo' cain't do anything. Yo' take a toadfrog an' cut 'im wide open, an' plastah 'im aroun' de sore place an' weah 'im dere. Den he cured. [The preceding word deals (deals a trick?) as a synonym for dressed is rare; in fact, this may be the only example in Hoodoo.l
Entry 8148
Yo' kin take a person's pichure an' put it on a new piece of lumbah, an' put it up undah yore do'step, an' put a piece of dere hair in de toadfrog mouth, an' drive a nail in hit, in de toadfrog heart an' de pi- chure heart, on de new piece of lumbah whut chew got drive down. Drive a peg through 'is heart an' through de heart of de tin- type pichure. An' aftah dat toadfrog die, yo'll die. An' put dat up undah yore do'step so yo'll come out ovah it evah mawnin'. When dat toadfrog die, yo'll die. (You put this picture on a new piece of lumber, then you put the frog on the picture. Then you drive a nail [or peg] right through the hearts of all of them.) Right through both of 'em heart an' put a hair out 'is haid in 'is [toad- frog's] mouth.
Entry 10003
[Show people use lodestone in their work to deceive you, but there is a Way by which you can protect yourself.] If de pusson gol' tuh go tuh a show - if yo' figah [figure] a pusson gotta go tuh a show, an' if dere's lode- stone or anythin' lak dat, yo' put dat frog in yuh pockit an' yo' valk in dere. Dat man cannot show. He'll come tuh yo' an' tell yuh tuh git dat frog out chure pockit or he have tuh break up 'is show.
(Any kind of a show?)
Any kind. If its lodestone anywhere 'bout it, a toadfrog kills it - any of dat slightly [sleight-of-hand] work dey can't work it. (Or any kind of slight-of-hand, they can't work it.)
Entry 10005
Ah heard dis about a frog. Jes' lak if yo' wanta go tuh a show, yo' take a frog - a toadyfrog. Dat whut we talkin' about. An' all dem lodestones where dey makin' all dese monkey motions in dem shows, yo' take de frog an' when yo' go dere yo' kin kill evah bit of lodestone dat dem folks is got in dere. Yo' see, yo' tote it [live frog] in yuh pocket an' dat'll kill all de lodestone dey got in dere - jes' lak dey workin' tricks or have shootin' gallery.
Entry 9859
Yo' kin kill a person wit a toadfrog. Yo' kin git a toadfrog an' jis' lak yo' had a enemah [enemy] an' yo' didn't wanta go tuh 'im an' jis' shoot 'im down perhaps. Yo' would git chew a toadfrog an' tie 'im up an' den talk tuh 'im jis' lak yo' wuz talkin' tuh dat individual [you intended to kill]: [1] YO'S MAH ENEMAH AN' YO'S DIS, [2] DAT, [3] AN' DE OTHAH, AN' YO' DONE DIS THING. [1] AN' AH'M GOIN' KILL YUH, [2] AN' AH WAN' CHEW TUH LEAVE, [3] AN' AH DON' WANT CHEW TUH BE IN MAH WAY. An' take a bran'-new knife dat hasn't been used, an' aftah yo' git through talkin' wit 'im, aftah yo' tied 'im [toadfrog] up lak dat, talk tuh 'im lak yo' wuz in a fuss wit dis enemy of yores. Yo's re'lly mad wit 'im an' yo' start tuh cuttin' 'im wit dat bran'-new knife, jis' sayin' things tuh 'im: [1] AH WAN' CHEW TUH DIE, [2] AH WAN' CHEW TUH DIE, [3] AH WANT CHEW TUH TAKE SICK AN' DIE. Aftah yo' git through cuttin' 'im, call 'im [toadfrog] a bad name. Dat individual will take sick an' jis' dwindle away, jis' lak yo' killed dat frog [toadfrog] an' named 'im dat individual.
Entry 9862
Yo' git chew fo' toadfrogs an' yo' tie dem by a laig - by one laig, not tuhgethah but one laig at de time - an' yo'll hang dat fellah [frog] deah wit 'is haid down. Yo' tie de othah one an' yo' hang 'is haid down. An' yo' tie all fo [frogs]. Hang 'em separates [separately] down. Pluck dere eyes out an' dat'll run somebody crazy in dey house. (Wait a minute! You are not telling the story the way you told it before. How long do you leave them there and all that sort of thing? Tell me the whole story now.) All right. Dey hangs dere fo' day, foah nights. Lak yo' put 'em heah tuh- aight. Starts from tuhnight. Be shuh [sure] yo' got dose foah nights out. Well yo'kow de days is gotta come in. Each day yo' go dere an' pluck out one's eye [the eyes of one frog]. Dat takin' de eyesight from whosomevah in dat house from 'e. [4 frogs and 4 nights here does not mean 4 victims but thoroughness, deriv- ed from the "4 corners of the earth" (in Biblical Apocalypse of John,7:1) or 4 directions everywhere.]
(Wouldn't they see those frogs hanging there on the wall?)
Uell, ah don't think she saw 'em. But she cert'inly went blind.
(When do you pick out the eye, in the daytime or at night?)
[I am afraid my question was a little disconcerting.]
Night. Ah think it's night becuz yo' have dem dere dat foah nights. [In- formant himself has not performed this rite; he merely heard about it, saw the frogs, and knew the woman went blind.]
Entry 9873
Yo'll take dat toadfrog an' yo'll dry 'im, yo' see, an' dere's two ways yo' dry dem toadfrogs. Den yo' go tuh work an' yo' let it be lak - makes a powdah outa it, yo' see, an' yo' sprinkle dat. Dat's fo' gittin' outa a home, too [making a person move]. Den, yo' kin ketch a toadfrog an' don' kill 'im, if yo' wants tuh send a person away ag'in. Ketch a toadfrog an' don' kill 'im, an' den let 'im go off an' die. Yo'll cut 'im at a place whah [where] yo' kin put dese names in dere; lak yore name or some- body yo' have wanta send 'em 'way from dere. Yo' see, yo'll go tuh work an' yo'll cut dat toadfrog, an' it's a way dat dey kin put dat papah up in dat toadfrog an' turn 'im a-loose an' let 'im go, an': jis' [the way] as he goes dem people'll go.
Entry 9909
Well, now, if yo' kin, yo' kin take as li'l a thing as a toadfrog, an' ketch 'im an' put 'im in a box. An' jis' let 'im stay dere, you see, until de ants eat all of 'is flesh offa his bones. An' it's a li'l forked bone in 'im dat yo' kin git. An' if yo' kin git anywheres neah dat man an' put dat bone on 'im, an' he'll come back. Yes, sir, he'll come right back home tuh stay dere.
Entry 9941
Ketch a toadfrog an' yo' take her right fo'foot an' yo' scratch it on a piece of thread, cotton, not yarn thread. Yo' put five knots in it. Yo' scratch de foot enough tuh make it bleed, an' yo' tie her foot. Dat's de way yo' make a person leave, if yo' don' want 'em tuh stay. Dat's de second way yo' make 'em, see. An' when yo' tie 'er foot, whatevah her name is, "Anna! Anna! Anna! Anna!" Call 'er fo'times, say, "Yo' go!" When yo'name 'er an' tell 'er tuh go, yo' send yore han' out dat way an' put 'er [frog] down. Tie dat foot tight. An' yo'll nevah see de woman no mo', if it's a woman. An' if it's a man, yo'll nevah see 'im no mo'. An' yo'll nevah see de frog no mo' But chew tie dat cotton thread dat she bleed on. She'll keep a-hoppin', jes' lak yo' jes' tie it, she'll hop. [When you call Anna four times, each time sending yore han' out dat way, you are sending her to the four corners of the earth, a common expression in hoodoo from the Biblical Book of Revelation, 7:1.] (You scratch this frog's leg until it bleeds. Then you tie a string around that leg?) Yo' wet dat string three times wit de blood dat come from de foot.
(What do you do with that string then?)
Tie it to dat laig, on her laig, whatevah de name is. Turn her a-loose. An' when yo' start away, yo' don't wanta look back tuh see which way she goes. (The woman that was in here is supposed to be pretty good, but she's been ill and she couldn't get things together. I don't know whether she knows anything very much or not.)
Entry 9964
Take a toadyfrog an' yo' split 'im open, see, an' jis' tote him aroun' in yore pocket, an' yo' kin have all de luck yo' want.
(In gambling.)
Entry 9989
Dey say yo' ketch a toady- frog an' make him swallow a dime, an' put 'im in a paper bag an' tie it up tight where he couldn't ketch no air, an' go ahead on tuh de game. Bet chew be lucky in gamblin'.
(You carry that though in your pocket?)
Yeah, jes' take it in yore pocket. Make him swallow a dime an' tie de end of de bag up an' carry dat on in yore pocket.
Entry 12779
Ah heard you could take - get some kind of oil and stuff and use like that, and then, if anybody [in the game] had any wager in dere against you, or you was playing against wager or somepin like dat, why you could take dat. Take a frog - use a toadfrog and carry 'em in dere, and take that salt and pepper and sprinkle it.... [Here I turned off machine but decided to continue.]
(How do you...)
[You are having bad luck because someone:]
Done went to somewhere and got somepin stronger than what you got dere - Luck.
(What do you do with that frog?)
You put him in your pocket.
(I see. And what about the salt and pepper?)
You take that salt and pepper and sprinkle it around in your house where you playing at.
(I see. That's to break up that wager.)
Wager that luck against you.
(That weight [luck] against you.)
Entry 1278
If a fellah put a spell on yo', yo' make watah and bath in it fer nine mawnin's an' po' dat watah toward de sunset. And den yo' kin take nine toadfrogs and put 'em into a pot alive an' cook 'em down - put nuthin in 'em but a little watah an' a little grease, an' grease wit de grease from dem fer nine mawnin's. Dat will break up anything that dey try to put on yo'. (These are different ways of doing this - one is you use the urine and the other way is you use the frogs. You don't use both of them together?) No, don't use both of them together - use either one of them.
Entry 1279
This is by experience. I seed my mother do this. She made us boys ketch her nine toadfrogs. And we caught 'em and we brought 'em in the house and she got a skillet of red hot grease and the lid ready to place on it. And she'd taken them frogs one by one and put them in that skillet - one by one - one by one - and put 'em in that skillet and fried 'em down to where dey was crisp. She'd taken that grease and she put it up, till it congeal - that is, you know, until it got cold and thick, and she used it as a hair dressing and give it to her friends. Well, my mother, her hair -
(She what?)
Used it for a hair dressing. She had hair that long. She Was mulatto and she used to make it all the time.
(That will make your hair grow?)
Yes, sir, it make the hair grow - you know, turn it straight. That's what she would get out of it.
Entries from source headings
These entries are listed under the following headings in the source volume:
- Toadfrog — Volume 1, entries 252. Source context: SPIRITS → SPIRITS AND ANIMALS.
- FROG - TOAD - TOADFROG; FROG BLOOD IN YOU — Volume 4, entries 6545. Source context: THE PHYSICAL HUMAN BODY ITSELF → FOLK MEDICINE → LIVE THINGS IN YOU.
- KILL A TOADFROG BEFORE SUNRISE BY PUSHING A; FAT-LIGHTER SPLINTER THROUGH HIM - TIE HIS FEET; HANG ON BUSH - WISH: IN NAME OF FATHER, SON AND; HOLY GHOST FOR VICTIM TO MOVE OR YOUR OWN LUCK — Volume 5, entries 9861. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- TOADFROG CARRIED UNTIL HE DIES; CURES HAND COMPLAINTS — Volume 5, entries 9890. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- KILL A TOADFROG AND PUT IT IN A RED ANTS BED; AFTER ITS FLESH EATEN - TAKE STRAIGHT BACKBONE; AND STICK INTO GARMENT OF WOMAN OR MAN WANTED — Volume 5, entries 9893. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- SHUT UP TOADFROG IN CIGAR BOX WITH AIRHOLES; AFTER ANTS EAT FLESH - TAKE FISHHOOK-LIKE BONE — Volume 5, entries 9896. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- LET RED ANTS EAT TOADFROG IN CAN WITH HOLES; AMONG BONES IS A FISHBONE OR WISHBONE - HANG; IT IN WOMAN'S CLOTHES TO MAKE HER LOVE YOU; TO GET RID OF HER - GIVE HER 9 DROPS OF TEA MADE; FROM THE WISHBONE OF ANOTHER ANT-EATEN TOADFROG — Volume 5, entries 9900. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- LET ANTS EAT FLESH FROM TOADFROG; TOUCH WOMAN YOU WANT WITH A BONE — Volume 5, entries 9908. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- A TOADFROG AND BLACKSNAKE SHED KEEPS; WIFE HOME AND AWAY FROM OTHER MEN — Volume 5, entries 9949. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- WOMAN STEWS TOADFROG - PUTS IN MAN'S FOOD FOR LOVE — Volume 5, entries 9948. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- FOOT SCRAPINGS AND FOOT TRACK IN BAG WITH TOADFROG; THIS IS A HOODOO BAG - WEAR OR KEEP IN CORNER; MAKES YOU MINDLESS - ALWAYS RUNNING - RESTLESS; OR ALSO KEEPING-HOME BAG - DEPENDING ON OPERATOR — Volume 5, entries 9953. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- DRY TOADFROG - POWDER IT - BOTTLE FOR GAMBLING — Volume 5, entries 9968. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.
- TOADFROG SEWED UP IN CLOTH SACK — Volume 5, entries 9975. Source context: ADDITIONAL RITES AND BELIEFS → FROG AND TOADFROG.