Subject:Tongue
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Entry 1234
An' if yo' Wanta miscarry a kid, ah know how tuh miscarry a kid - diff'rent things yo' kin take: calomel powders, an' yo' kin take nine buckshots, an' yo' kin take bluestone, an' yo' kin take pencil lead from a pencil, an' yo' kin take yore finger an' miscarry. Ah know how to do that wit that. An' if yo' ain't impregnant an' wanta git impregnant, yo' kin take devil's-shoe- string, blackroot, guinsy light[?], an' yo' kin take life ever lasting [cudweed], lowbush myrtle, redshank an' dog-tongue.
(Is dog's-tongue a weed?)
Yes suh, hit's a weed - it grows [cylinder changed]. Boil"it an' makes a tea out of it an' takes it - a wineglassful three times a day. Dat'll clear up yore system an' git all de silt an' stuff stir up, an' yo'll git impregnant like that. Den yo' kin take dog-tongue an' dry it an' put it de fo' corners of anybody's house. Now hit's good fo' medicine an' den it's good for squabbling. Yo' take dog-tongue an' put it in fo' corners of anybody's house an' crumble it up an' rub it round in de house, an' he'll be aridin' an' agrumblin' an' aguarrelin' an' afightin' dere until dey separate or dey move out or dey do something. Dey won't live together happy no mo' - jest quarrel an' grumble an' row jest long as dat dog-tongue in that house.
Entry 2302
Well, it's a herb dat chew get dat chew - de shoe-tongue, kinda chew dem, an' yo' have it in yore mouth an' chew it. Spit it. Spit it an' makes yore wishes whut chew want. [Is this the plant dog tongue or hound's tongue?] Lak yo' won't want de judge tuh go hard on yo', spit it down an' dey ain't goin' tuh know it yo' know, an' dat will make it light on yo' - it will go through [case against you will go through - fail.] (Why do they use shoe-tongue root? Why don't they use anything else? Why do they use that root? Do you know?) Because it's so good. It's so good.
Entry 3146
Well, when yo' an' he's doin' yo' git choo a brass pin an' put it in yore mouth up undah yore tongue, an' yo' hold yore breath. An' whilst yo' hold- in' yore breath, yo' jes' sayin', be repeatin' tuh yo' heart what choo don't wan' tim [want him] to do to nobody but choo. An' den when yo' git through, well yo' take dat brass pin an' tie it in a rag an' wear it. An' any time he go tuh anothah woman, well it'll fall.
Entry 3239
You see, if a woman has a man an' she wants to fool a long time, you understan' - don't want him to git there an' git right away - w'y she jis' take this penny an' put it right on her tongue - you under- stan', on top of de tongue - an' he can have all de fun he want but every time he starts to git there, you know, she'll suck down on that penny, that'll go back. [For holding breath, see also margin titles on p.2348.]
Entry 3240
If a woman wants tuh kill a man - jis' lak if dat's 'er sweetheart an' she wants to git 'im out 'er way, [they] say she kin take a penny an' put it undah her tongue while dey's makin' a connection togeth- ah an' says, whenevah he goes to make his end, well she's gwine [to] hol' 'er breath while dat penny's undah de tongue. An' dey say dat'll paralyze him. Say it won't kill 'im right den, it'll jis' give him a stroke, he can't walk - he won't be no mo' service to hisself.
Entry 3265
You can take a dime, a silver dime, an' put it underneath your tongue when you're on top of a woman, and keep that dime under your tongue all the time [during intercourse], and she'll have no nature for any other man, and no man, can raise a head for her. [I would say the preceding word head is rare in HOODOO, heart or hard being the coron term. But I was not collecting sexual language, merely recording speech as it cme.
[Fredricksburg, Va., No. OO, by Ediphone.]
Entry 3269
Wal, ah heard if yo' wanted 'im tuh come right quick, jes' put it undah yore tongue.
(What would you put under there?)
A dime, yes sir, or either a needle. Yo' kin put a needle in yore mouth[!!!]. (Well, that isn't the way I heard it.) [I was thinking of endurance rites for men.]
Entry 3282
If yo' wanta be wit a woman a long time, yo' kin place it undah yore tongue an' dere nuthin she kin do. She jes' have a fit den an' yo' jes' continue tuh stay dere an' she can't make yo' [come], nuthin lak dat. (What kind of quicksilver do you mean? The silver paper that comes around tobacco like that - that kind of quicksilver? Or do you mean that liquid quicksilver?) Nosuh [not the liquid but] de silvah dat be roun' a cigarette package. Take it an' fold it an' put undah yore tongue. Yassuh [yes sir] up undah yore tongue. Jes' lak if yo' had a woman an' yo' wouldn't be satisfied up undah dere an' yo' still stay dere. [The preceding word guicksilver is one of numerous examples showing that I am merely repeating a word used by informant before recording began. Usually I try by question or other means to induce informant to repeat key word or idea lost in retelling part of rite.]
Entry 3714
Go an' git 'im some coon root [see later] an' put it on some whiskey an' drink it three times a day, or eithah git 'im some lion tongue [lion's tongue - the spotted wintergreen]. (What is that, lion tongue?) Some dis li'le string stuff dat grows in de woods, it's got three or fo' leaves on it an' all of 'em runs out diff'ren ways, one runnin' dis way an' one runnin' dat way - runnin' east an' west an' no'th an' south.
(What does he do with that root then, just chew that or?)
Chew it or eithah put it on whiskey an' drink it.
(This will bring back his nature.)
[I can see why anything called lion's tongue would be good-magic medicine, especially when soaked in whiskey; but coon [racoon] root does not sound promis- ing. If coon root is not a root-trade name, could it be: (l) the coon grape of southeastern U. S. A., the Ampelopsis cordata, a woody vine with grapelike foliage bearing inedible bluish fruit; or (2) the fox grape Vitus labrusca?]
Entry 5249
Ah know dey'll take joor [your] shoe tongue out joor shoe - dat's whut dey tell me. Yo' take de shoe tongue out joor shoe an' take a stran' of haah from joor haid, an' beah [bury] it in joor fiahplace. An' yo' kin go away but choo cain't stay. Yo' got'a come back at home. If yo' work any job, evahthin' da' chew [that you] make [earn] yo' have tuh bring it tuh 'er. An' she'll let dat stay in de fiahplace nine days, an' den she'll take it tuh a root of a tree an' beah it. An' she'll let it stay dere. An' jis' as long as dat stay beahed [buried] dere, she got choo.
Entry 5841
A chicken, yo' know he has a slobbah in 'is mout'. Yo' could take yore hair an' wrap it aroun' 'is tongue an' yo'll crow lak a roostah - crow lak dey do. (That is, I would take one of your hairs and wrap it around the rooster's tongue, and that would make you crow like a rooster?)
[FOR ONCE, SOMEONE BESIDES MYSELF IS THE GUINEA PIG!]
Yeah.
Entry 5854
Well, de slobber off a dog. Yessuh, yo' take yore hair an' put it on de roof of 'is tongue, an' den yo' give 'im somepin tuh make 'im go mad, see. An' dat causes yo' tuh go crazy. (What about the slobber then? He only slobbers after he goes mad, is that the idea?) Yes.
(That is to run you crazy?)
Yes.
Entry 6688
Yo' kin take a penny an' if yo' havin' a intahco'se wit a woman an' if yo' don' wants 'er no mo', don' cä' [care] fo' her no mo', an' jis' wants tuh see her blat up, why yo' put dat penny in yore mout' an' put it undah yore tongue an' have intahco'se wit 'er, an' den yo'll give her some disease dat she nevah kin git rid of. Dat's whut chew kin do wit a penny. [The preceding word blat used only here in Hoodoo, is a variant of bleat, which means to cry out, as calf or sheep. Colloquially, blat could signify to utter loudly and indiscretly, or to be loud- mouthed. Perhaps the meaning in the present instance could be loud-mouthed or to blow her top. Or does informant intend to say she will bloat from the disease he gives her? As a matter of fact (hoodoo pathology says so), diseases are given by holding a penny in the mouth or under tongue during coitus: a woman holding the penny causes a stroke in the man (No.3240); prevents veneral disease (3241); makes a disease stronger (No.3242); etc.]
Entry 6939
They claim that if you put a ten-cent piece under your tongue while you're having sexual relation wit a woman, you won't catch any diseases from the woman. [This belief should have pre- ceded No.3258, p.2373, but it was under CURES and missed. This original tran- scription of mine in pencil was never typed. See ILLUSTRATIONS for original.]
Entry 7504
They tell me if anybody git murdered an' de fam'ly don't know who do it, or if dey know an' dey can't do anythin' about it. Sometime dese people [who murder] have deyself fixed lak dat an' yo' can't do anythin', see. (This is my only example of a person contemplating murder can go to a hoodoo doctor to be dressed so that he will never be caught or convicted. A person can also have himself dressed by a doctor as a protection against being murdered.] Dey say yo' jes' write de person's name an' put 'em undah de dead tongue an' den yo' [I interrupt].
(You write the person's name and put it under the what?)
Put it in de mouth under de dead tongue.
(Oh! Under the tongue in the dead man's mouth.)
An' den yo' go an' eithah yo' dress de box [coffin] fer de person [murderer], or yo' put somepin in de grave [dress de grave] befo' yo' bury de dead, ah hear dem say. An' dey say dat person won't be long befo' dey follah de dead. (Well, when you put this name under his tongue, do you have to do anything else?) No, sir, 'cept to put de name undah de tongue. De person name, yo' jes.' write 'em on dere an' put it undah.
Entry 7951
Take a piece of de coffin.
(What kind of a coffin?)
Aftah a person is buried an' it done rotted.
(Well, what do they do with that?)
Dey take dat an' dey bury somebody else wit it - in de family. Takes a piece of it. See, aftah yo' done buried somebody in a coffin. Well, yo' know, quite natchally a cof- fin rots lak nuthin an' when it rots it comes tuh a powdah; but if dey kin git a piece of it, or if dey don't git a piece of it, dey kin git de powdah from dat coffin [or you could probably buy coffin dust at some hoodoo drug store!]. Jis' de dust off dat coffin. Dey take dat an' dey git 'em a silk han'ke'ch'ef - git a silk han'ke-ch-ef. Yo' put dat intuh dat han'ke'ch'ef. Now, when yo' put dat in dat han'ke'ch'ef, dey got nine needles an' dey got nine pins, but dey git 'em right outa de store. Dey ain't nevah been used. Now, if dey wus goin' tuh bury, say if dey wus goin' tuh bury me, or mah sistah, or somebody in mah family, dey'd git dat an' dey'd git 'er name. An' if dey kin git de - see, de tongue, yo' see, de tongue of yuh shoe.
(Yes, the tongue of the shoe.)
If dey kin git dat, dey git dat an' dey puts dat wit dat. Now, when dey git dat all tuhgethah....
(What do they put the name on? On some paper?)
No, on - I take de seat of dere undahweah, de back part, any of dere undah- weahs - see, any part of it, de back of yuh shirttail, yo' see. I take dat an' I am goin' tuh pin it down, tight as I kin git it, an' I am goin' tuh write yuh name on tuh dat. Now, when I write yuh name on tuh dat, I wrap dese things up in dere. When I wrap it up in dere, I tie. When I tie it, I tie it up wit nine knots. I tie wit nine knots. I bury it, if I want.tuh; an' if I don' wan' tuh bury it, I kin throw it in de rivah, yo' see. Kin throw it in de rivah or bury it. When I bury dat, why den I got choo where I wan' choo. Yo' got tuh go. Dat I done harmed yo' in an' somethin' will happen tuh yo'.
Entry 8018
On de first Friday of de month yo' see, yo' goes an' yo' git chew a beef tongue an' yo' split dat beef tongue jis' long enough where yo' kin stick a piece of papah in dere. Stick dat person's name in dere, write dat person's name lengthways. Jis' don' cross. Kin jis Write it longways, yo' know, jis' write it nine times de long ways. Ah don' mean no cross it, yo' see. An' yo' take aftah dat, aftah yo' write his name, den yo' take it yo see an' yo' stick it down in dat beef tongue. An' yo' go in de graveyard an' yo' bury dat, see. An' when dat beef tongue begin tuh rot, dat person begins tuh feel drowsy an' droopy, sleepy, jis' continue sleep until he kinda sleep hisself away. [Algiers, La., (1590), 2987:4.] [Material about bones from the dead has already been given in many places, among them: MOANING BONES, P.36; HEAD BONE, P.38; POWER FROM HEADBONE, P.282; POWER FROM BROTHER'S SKULL, p.283; DEAD PREACHER'S BONE, p.285; and DEAD GAM- BLER'S HAND BUILT EUREKA HOTEL WHERE I INTERVIEWED IN MEMPHIS BUILT BY THE DEAD, first quotation on p.1871, from p.1876, line 17 from bottom of page, continued on p.1877. I am dividing this subsubsection on bones into: (ea) WHAT BONES FROM THE DEAD DO, and (eb) TYPES OF BONES FROM THE DEAD. These two divisions of course overlap.]
Entry 8669
Yo' take an' git chew a pack of bran'-new needles an' yo' buy yo' a beef tongue. An' yo' put nine needles in it an' yo' take dat beef tongue an' yo' bury it toward de east coast of de tree, or right undah de tree in de no'th corner of yore garden or yore fence. Dat's tuh kill dem. Rill me or anybody else. It'll rot. Yo' put de name on de tongue. (All right. You didn't tell me that.) Well, ah'm tellin' yo' now. (Now, how do I know?) We-ll, ah'm tell yo'. (How do you put the name on the tongue, now? Tell me.) Nine time, an' on a piece of papah, an' pin it wit dem needles nine times. Nine needles, see. An' yo' pin dat an' yo' bury dat tongue upside down. An' when dat tongue rot, dey rot.
Entry 8689
Now, ah tell yo' 'bout de stockin's. He could take her stockin's - [she could] take his socks an' put 'em undah 'er do'step. Git a beef tongue, yo' understan', an' stick pins in it; but she gotta stick a pin dere every mawnin' fo' nine mawnin's till she git nine pins in dere. An' den take a pencil an' a piece of papah an' sign his name all ovah dat beef tongue [see correction later] an' take an' wrap it up an' den put it - jes' bury it in de groun' right at 'er do'. He'll come back.
(She also puts his socks under the door?)
Undah dere.
(Do they point them any particular way or just....?)
Jis' put 'em dere - jes' so he walk ovah dere to go back an' forwards. (Well, now. She doesn't write on that beef tongue, she writes on the paper doesn't she?) She writes on de papah.
(What does she do with the paper then?)
She takes de papah an' den she folds de beef tongue up in de papah. An' den she bury it.
Entry 8956
If they got any kind of a witness that would speak against yo', well yo' gets their name an' yo' writes it upon this beef tongue. And you kicks it around the floor and you takes it and you put it up in the chimney. You hangs it up in there and they couldn't speak against you
[at court]. [Kicking is a frequent magic act.]
Entry 8957
(What do they do with that?) They go to the slaughterhouse an' get it [a fresh tongue is required]. (What do they get?) Get a tongue, a beef tongue, yeah. And you make a fire in the ole chimley when yo' going for trial, an' burn that On the judge. Put his name there [on tongue]. An' burn that on the judge. That changes his mind.
Entry 8958
Yo' take a portion and yo' put it in each shoe.
(You mean the oil. The oil?)
Yes, yo' put it in each shoe. An' there's three oils yo' get. Yo' get this oil of muritel.
(You get what?)
Murotel, yeah. That [is] if you out, yo' understand, goin' to meet co't. If yo're not in jail, yo' can take oil of murotel and cedar oil an' labena [ver- bena]. An' yo' mix them three oils together. [First oil is surely myrtle!] (What kind? Labena?) Labena [verbena], yes sir. An' yo' bathe yoreself in it that morning before going before the judge. An' if yo' have any witness, well yo' take a beef tongue. An' yo' know the right names, yo' writes the name upon dat tongue. An' if yo' got a chimley anywhere in de house, yo' hangs dat up in there, an' your witness can't speak clearly. (Well, what do you hang that beef tongue in that chimney for? What - how do you do that?) Just take it and [first] you roll it around with your feet [it is kicked in No.8956] and hangs it up in there and smoke it.
(Oh, you smoke it! I see.)
Entry 8959
If mah boy wuz in jail, ah would take a beef tongue an' ah would smoke it an' ah would keep it in dere [chimney]. An' ah would take de judge's name, de district attorney's name, an' take me nine needles an' put it in dere, an sew it up an' smoke dat beef tongue fo' nine days. An' ah would go tuh co't an' ah cross mah fingers, an' he Would git discharged. (How do you mean you would cross your fingers?) [Informant demonstrates.] (You would take the index finger of each hand and just cross them; each hand, like that. You would hold them crossed in court. Why do you use nine needles, any particular reason?) If dey got nine district attorneys [jurymen?] on dis case, yo' understand, if dey got nine of 'em, dem needles represent de district attorney [jurymen].
(If you have twelve jurymen then you would use the twelve.)
[Informant does not understand why 9 needles are used. We shall meet these 9 needles again and everywhere. This was the very first rite I collected on my second visit to New Orleans. Informant was the wlfe of one of my contact men, Peg Leg. She a professional worker had refused to see me two years before on my first visit. Her material, good, is scattered throughout the text.)
Entry 8960
I have went to jail for fighting and lotsa time never stayed in no longer that then I could get word [to someone] which they got some dust they call this murlee dust.
(Morlee?)
[Name impossible to transcribe; probably a local hoodoo-store dust.]
Morlee dust, tell you. But the trouble [is] jis' lak if yo' happen to be fightin' somewhere an' go to jail. Take some of this Morlee dust an' yo' let your people bring you a shirt, and put it in that [shirt]. Yo' understand. (A clean shirt?) Yes, any kind you got, so long as you wears it - a brand-new shirt. And you put it [this dust] down in the lining of the sleeve or anywhere around the collar lak dat, about nine different places and you wear it. See. Yo' get it an' yo' put it on there when yo' going to court there. Yo' wants to be cut loose from that place. Well, yo' get a beef tongue. Let 'em get a beef tongue an' yo' put jes' as many needles in that beef tongue as yo' could. Set it in yore grate." Jes dig a hole down in de grate, if yo' have a grate. Take a brick out to put it [tongue] down in there.
(In your fireplace?)
Yes, sir. Then, when yo' going to court, when yo' walk in there, yo' have this shirt on with that stuff [in 9 places]; when yo' walk in an' enter into that place, where de lawyer done turn yo' over to be tried. He [is] talking With the jury, who are going to try yo'. He'll be pretty easy with yo'. If yo' got any jurymen on yore case or anything like that, first thing yo' know, yo' have this beef tongue [at home working for you] an' this beef tongue is by yore fire. Well, it be frying; yo' know, hot. Well, that make them needles get red hot an' they couldn't but just fine yo'. The judge do nuthin of de kind. They just have to turn yo' loose, let yo' out of dat jail. (In the jail you wore that shirt there, and at home someone is cooking the beef heart. Is it a beef heart or beef tongue?) Yes, the beef tongue. Get up in de mawnin' an' put [in tongue] as many needles as yo' can. De more needles yo' [can put in, the better]. An' yo' jis' stick the needles all down in it; yo' know, to de limit. An' yo' - if yo' have to, take up a brick - an' yo' put it down in de fire hearth an' put the brick back on. And the time when yo' going to court, light a fire in there. An' when that beef tongue commence to cooking like that, any, evahbody just as calm with yo' as evah. Couldn't find no evidence against [you] and won't find yo' guilty. All they could do, jis' [let] yo' loose without bail. An' they'll never come against yo' no more.
Entry 8961
[The day the case] comes off yo' git the beef tongue from de market. Yo' see, yo' gon'a know when de case come off 'cuz [you] git de subpoena. Freeze dat tongue in ice. Take a pen and write [scratch] de judge's name on dere [the tongue], bury it, an' have de party dat live in de building, a brother or anybody else, turn everything upside down. Turn de mat- tress upside down, de chairs upside down, de tables [upside down] during de time de case is coming off, an' de case will be nol pros [nol-pros, nolle prosequi].
Entry 8962
(How do they use the beef tongue?)
They take a beef tongue - they got to get a fresh one - have to go to the slaughterhouse and they get a fresh beef tongue and they bring it home. And they get a fresh beef tongue and they bring it home. And they get your name, the judge's and the district attorney's name and everything, and puts it in this tongue. And they take this tongue and they put it down in ice. That's to freeze the judge's tongue, you see. That's the way they do with them beef tongues, but you got to go to the slaughterhouse and get one fresh. Can't get none [from the butcher shop].
Entry 8963
(How do you use the alligator tongue?)
It do the same part as the beef tongue and from what it was taught to me from Doctor Henry Laemson, it's better.
(You think the alligator tongue is better than the beef tongue?)
Absolutely.
(What do you do with that, then?)
They take that alligator tongue and freeze it hard until it hard as the table. For instance, if it's a - the judge, probably he be named Anderson. I will write Anderson on that beef tongue, just take a hatpin or kind of a... [demonstrates]. [Since he changed from alli- gator to beef, I ask:] (Are you talking about the beef or alligator tongue?) Absolutely, write his name on there. See. Write the district attorney name on that. The tongue ls well froze. The day the case come off, bury that tongue. The party whosomever - if this lady that live in this building here, if it's her son, have her to turn the mattress upside down, the chair upside down, the table upSide dOWN, and IT LOOK LIKE THAT GIVE THE JUDGE NO WILLPOWER TO FIGHT AGAINST THE CASE, NEITHER THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SEE. They absolutely more than have to nol pros the case, see. So that they won't get any good evidence, see, from none of the witness, even if I'm the witness, statement won't correspond. One may say that they....
Entry 8964
Yo' take de beef tongue, yo' see. Yo' first upset de house, yore house, evahthing into it, or if yo' have a partner dat have a court case, yo' do dis to git de judge. Git de judge's name. All right, git de client name dat de judge is gonna per- secute [prosecute!]. Yo' understan' dat. Den de person dat's persecutin' 'em [prosecuting attorney]. All right. Yo' have dat. Now, yo' take dis person dat chew workin' fo' - her name - an' de judge name an' de lawyer's name together, dat dey'll cooperate together. Yo' see, den yo' git dat same remedy. Well, yo' git first dis Drowin' Oil, den yo' git dis Min' Oil; yo' git Florida watah, an' yo' git Orange Blossom watah. Yo' know whut dat is. Den yo' git steel dust, an' den yo' git dat nine lumps of sugah an' yo' git dat honey. Dat is fo' dat good act. Dat is to git 'em togethah. When yo' do dat way ahead when dey come to yo' first. An' yo' shake it [these things in a bottle]. Jes' shake it. Yo' keeps dat an' yo' shake it. Well, yo' put it off [aside]. Now, as fer as de beef tongue. Tuh freeze a client's [tongue] dat yo' know gonna talk, git chew 50 pound of ice an' take de beef tongue. Yo' know how tuh do dat. An' den wit de names dat are goin' against de person dat chure workin' fo', an' freeze 'em, an' dey won't be able tuh talk.
(You use both the beef and these other ingredients in the bottle?)
Yes.
Entry 8965
(If you are going to court, you say?)
Yes. Now, yo' git that beef tongue an' yo' takes hit an' yo' puts it on ice. Write de name whut chew done wrote. Yo' would write de name of de party dat's gotta go tuh co't where dey cain't talk, yo' see, lak yo' want a person convicted, an' git fined someway or 'nothah. Yo' takes dat name an' yo' writes it nine times, de judge an' de lawyer dat he has, an' puts dat round dat beef tongue an' put it on ice, an' dat freezes dey tongue an' dey cain't talk. Whut dey know dey cain't explain no mo'.
Entry 8966
Take that beef tongue an' at de big part of it, just split, just dig a hole in it - don't split it open. They cuts dat tongue, dey cuts a hole in it as far as dey want it to extend. Dey write your name. Just like yo' got a case in court, ah'll give it to yo' dat way. When yo' got a case in court, dey got people to witness fo' yo'; an' if ah can git de names of de people goin' be yore witness, ah'll git de names of dese people goin' be yore witness against me. An' when ah cut dat hole in dat beef tongue, ah'll write all de names nine times. An' ah'll take dose names an' shove dem up in dat tongue an' put dat tongue in a bucket or anythin' dat is small, an' pack it wit ice, like tonight, an' it'll be froze by tomorrow. An' when yo' witnesses come, dey can't even talk. They won't know what to say.
Entry 8967
Yo' get de prosecutor's name.
[Informant takes long pause.]
(All right.)
Yo' get some of de eye witness name - what swearing against yo', ah mean. An' yo' get de judge's name an' de prosecuting attorney's name, an' yo' write dere names down in lines, yo' see [one name under the other]. Den yo' take an' write yore name across dere. [Informant takes long pause.] Nine times. [Informant takes long pause.] (Yes?) Yo' shove in - yo' cut dat beef tongue an' yo' shove it [written names] in dat beef tongue an' yo' sew it back up. Yo' get yo' a brand-new tub, nevah have done been used.
[Informant takes long pause.] (Yes?)
(Yes.)
You get you a block of ice... (What did you say about the twelve apostles a moment ago? The twelve dis- ciples?) The twelve disciples, yo' must write dem twelve disciples name down.
(And what do you do with that?)
The twelve disciples name, dat's like if yo' want.... [They were concerned with another rite.]
Entry 8968
Suppose yo'd [you would] have a case comin' off, yo' see, on de 28th of dis month. Dey day dat chure case goin' come off - [the day before] yo' git dat beef tongue from de market an' yo' put it on ice an' leave it freeze very hard. Aftah it freeze yo' take dat needle an' [scratch] all de jurys name on dat tongue. Aftah writing de jurys name on dat tongue, yo' take a shovel an' yo' put it [ice and tongue] about one foot in de ground. Yo' covah it ovah. It's frozen yo' see. Now dis dwellin' house dat chew live in. Yo' turn de chairs upside down. Well, dat chills his tongue an' he wouldn't be able tuh prosecute, unless de case is so brutish until de jurymen - yo' understand, regardless of whut de judge say - dey would have capital punishment. But if de case is not [too impossible] de [jury] wouldn't take de statement of de judge becuz he gonna give no statement whatevah. Dey take de statement of de witness dat got on de stand.
Entry 8969
(What do they use beef tongue for?)
Well, now, that's what I have heard people have used beef tongue and put nee- dles in it. Sticks nine needles in it - just like they got a son or a daughter or somepin going from them up here to the penitentiary or somepin. They Wanta try keep dem here, tie 'em over here or keep them out, get them out. They put that on there and they put that on ice and things. That's to keep the judge from talking good. Yo' know, couldn't explain hisself, yo' see. He won't be able to tell them that he going to send him up the road [penitentiary] or nuthin, yo' see. Now, it's like if I give you [sentence you] thirty days. It's just like you done done a bad crime, not no stealing or somepin, just like: So ah'm goin' to give yo' $25 or thirty days in Parish [jail], see. De same time he got a penitentiary case, yo' see. Yo' see?
Entry 8970
[If you are] in court like this. If yo' done did a bad crime. He got a witness against yo' - or maybe ten or twelve - fifteen or twenty witness against yo'. Yo' take all of these witness names. Now which is de beef tongue, an' it runs about dat long [dem- onstrates]. Yo' know de size of a beef tongue. Yo' take dat tongue an' yo' split it open right into de mid- dle. Yo' take all dese names an' yo' stuff 'em down into dis tongue. Aftah yo' stuff 'em down into dis tongue, yo' get yo' a pack of needles an' yo' use nine of de biggest needles in dere. Yo' get yo' 50 pounds of ice. Dat's de day yo' goin' to court. Get yo' 50 pounds of ice an' yo' take dis beef tongue an' yo' put it down into dis ice an' freeze it. Co'se [of course] yo' could use it de night before dat. An' yo' take dis tongue an' yo' freeze it with these witness names against yo' in it. Then, when they get in court they can't say nothing against you. If it's anything, they going to say somepin for you.
(What do you do with those nine needles?)
The nine needles, you just stick it all in them names and in the tongue. New Orleans, La., (860), 1371:6.]
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 8977
If a man in trouble or a woman in trouble, who tryin' tuh work some scheme, yo' can't git nuthin out de law.] Look lak yo' cain't git justice an' yo' done made every move yo' could make an' yo' would try some othah move tuh make. An' lak a person would tell yo' go to Sech-an'-sech, dat dey knows. Den yo' come to me, ah knows. Ah'll say, "Whut's de trouble?" Yo' tell 'em [me], "Well, ah'm in trouble fo' a grave murder. Ah done tried eve'y law [lawyer] heah ah could an' dey cain't do no Say, Say, "Ah want chew tuh take up mah case if yo' think dat chew could." Ah say, "Who's yo' witnesses on dis case? Is yo' got witnesses or...?" [You] say, "Yeah, ah got several wltness." [I] say, "Could yo' git to de witness against dis end of it?" Yo' say, "Yeah, ah could git de names of 'em. Ah knows who's 'em all goin' prosecute me." [I] say, "Git me dere name an' write 'em down fo' me. When yo' git 'em, write 'em nine times, each one of de defendants name, write 'em an' bring 'em to me. An' ah'll read 'em an' ah'll look at 'em, de best ah kin do." So yo' bring me these names, write 'em down. Ah say, "All right." Ah got de names. Yo' got three witnesses prosecutin' yo'. An' heah yo' got three witnesses, defendant, an' ah say, "Separate de de- fendants from de prosecutin'." Den we separate it an' write it nine times. Ah say, "Now, go git me a beef tongue." It's jes' lak three ag'inst an' two wit. (There are three against you and two for you. And now you are going to sepa- rate those names?) Yeah, ah want each one dere names. Now, yo' gimme de three prosecutors. All right, yo' kin go write 'em down nine times.
(Each one nine times?)
"Yes, on a brown piece of papah, nine times, an' give 'em tuh me." Ah take dem names. All right, ah got dese citizen witness nine times on 'nothah piece of brown papah. All right, ah take each one de brown papahs [demonstrates] an' den ah'll fold 'em three times an' ah put de top papah, de two witness, ah put dem on de top de prosecutors yo' see. Put 'em on dere an' git me de beef tongue an' take dat beef tongue an' ah split it. Ah split de beef tongue an' ah put de prosecutors on de bottom down dere an' put de 'fenders [defenders] on de top, an' sew de tongue up. Ah hang it up in de chimley - put a nail in de chimley an hang it up an' let it smoke till de day of de trial. "When de day of de trial come, notify me of de day of de trial, git me 50 pounds of ice, an' chip de ice out jes' tuh fit dat tongue. An' bring de tongue from down de chimley an' put de tongue in dere betwixt dat ice, jes' tuh fit in an' bury it wit de othah.
(Where do you bury it?)
Bury it in de ice. An' when de judge git on de stand an' de jurors, dat [tongue] smoke an' smokes all dere fears an' evil away, an' dat freezes de jud- ge's tongue an' dey mo' or less have a hanged trial. De trial is mo' or less tuh hang, if it don' acquit dem. It will hang de trial up or throw it outa co't. [Here I stopped recording thinking informant had ended, but then he started to tell about the origin of the tongue rite.]
(The reason you know this is true is because of what?)
When de magicians, de people dat 'sposed [supposed] tuh have two haids [a two- head or twoheader] an' know eve'ything, when dey wuz goin' through de lan', when Saul wanted tuh see his brothah Simon, an' so he had heard dat yo' use jes' a lamb, if yo' wanta him nearer down in de land somewhere, down in de land, dat dis ole magician hoodoo woman she passes that [along to us].
(She started this thing? The beef tongue?)
Yes.
Entry 8978
Get yo' a beef tongue, an' get de judge's name. An' if dey have a wit- ness, get one for de witness an' one for de district attorney. An' yo' get a block of ice. An' yo' see, yo' set dem three candles or white candles [mentioned before recording started and also later] on [this] ice before yore trial, an' dat chills dere tongues. Yo' put de tongue into a big block of ice [usually 50 pounds]. Just make a hole an' put it down into de ice. An' cut de tongue open an' put de judge's name, de dis- trict attorney's name, an' de witness [name] in dat. An den set de light [candles] on before yo' go to court. One candle for each of dose people. Use white candles.
Entry 8980
Now if yo' go before de iudge, de judge goin' to discharge yo', ac- cording to what kind of case, yo' know, yo'll have. Well, if yo' got people against yo', yo' know, an' yo' don't want to have dem part of de jury. Yo' going before de judge, like if it's a criminal case, yo' know, yo' got to have de jury. Yo' see, dey have [a panel of] 75 jurors [to select jurors from]. Well, yo' don't know what people [will be on the jury]. They don't pick out but twelve. Now, yo' don't know what twelve dey going to pick out. Dat makes yo' gotta use de whole panel. Yo' see, ah [in my work] done use 'em all.[ Well, now, de person - what jurors is against yo'. Yo' go an' get yo' a beef tongue, a fresh beef tongue. Pay odd money fo' it, not even money - 25 or 35 cents or somepin like dat. Let de money be odd money. An' yo' go an' take dat tongue an' yo' get these peoples names what is against yo', what done harm yo', don't yo' see or what yo' done harm. Yo'll take dat tongue, yo'll write de names on a piece of papah, an' yo'll write all dem jurymen's names, de dis- trict attorney.
(The whole 75 of those names?)
Yeah, just put de whole 75. Yo' have to use de 75, because outa dem yo' get twelve.
(I see. All right.)
Now, yo' get de district attorney what is de man to prosecute yo'. Yo'll get his name an' put it on dere, but not de judge in dat part. An' yo'll -git yo' dat tongue. Yo' get yo' nine needles an' nine pins. Yo'll get yo' dese people names an' yo'll put down on dere an' yo'll put dat down in de throat of dat tongue. Yo'll take dat tongue an' yo'll hang it up in de chimney. An' den aftah dat, yo'll take an' git yo' some watah an' yo'll get yo' some peppah. Yo' git yo some coarse snuff an' yo'll burn a - light a candle.
(Coarse snuff?)
Coarse snuff, dat coarse snuff; not dat in a box. An' yo'll light dat candle an' yo'll put it.in dere. Now, yo' want to come clear an' yo' want de judge to be lenient wit yo', so yo' take de judge's name. An' yo'll take de judge ame, den yo'll git yo' a block of ice, 'bout fifty pounds of ice. Yo' put it in a little pail an' yo'll sweeten it. Den yo'll light de candle, but yo'll light it straight up [the candle will be standing upl. An' den yo' see, sweeten de judge. But this othah part what yo' do, yo' take an' yo' put de candle - yo' turn 'em upside down, yo' get dat coarse snuff an' all dat, an' put in dere. Well dat make de district attorney be fightin' against dem. An' de people, what he got fo' witness, goin' to speak against yo'. Anything dey drink, perhaps dey drink whiskey. Some might drink gin or somepin like dat. Well yo'll get dat [liquor] an' yo' put dere name an' set yo' a little glass. An' put dat candle on dat [name and liquor in the glass] an' ah'll guarantee every one of 'em will go to court drunk. An' yo'll come out clear 'cause dey'll be drunk. Dey won't know what they're sayin'. They'll be lying backwards and forwards.
(What'll that ice do?)
Well, yo' see, de ice, dat's to cool, dat's fo' yore part. De ice makes yo' cool. Yo' know ice makes yo' cool. [Usually ice freezes apponent's tongue.] Well, de judge won't be fiery wit yo'. See, he'll be cool an' calm. But on dis othah side, yo' get dat snuff an' yo' put dem names in dere an' yo' get dat beef tongue. Yo' put dem things in dere an' shove dat tongue, all down in de throat, an' just hang dat tongue up an' den yo'll see. Yo'll see an' dey'll be lyin' an' dey'll be drunk. Just what dey drink, yo' set dat candle in dere [in the glass]. An' dey'll be lyin' an' dey won't say a thing against yo'. What color...just what candles you select. Don't try de black candles.
(Anything but black?)
But black candles.
(How many do you burn?)
Yo' burn - see, if dere's five people, yo' put five candles. An' if it's three, yo' put three; just accordin' to how many is against yo', yo' put dem many candles. An' den what they drink, yo' get a little glass, just what fit de candle an' put dat [liquor] in dere, an' ah'll guarantee yo' every one will be drunk.
Entry 8981
[This is a rite for an altar shaped like a triangle, one of the angles being 45°, so that it will fit into the corner of a room. A triangular board as a shelf would also serve the purpose. Sometimes an oblong or a square table is placed catercornered in a corner of the room. Such a device saves space, can be shut off by a curtain, and represents one of the four corners of the earth (Reve- lation of St. John the Divine, 7:1). One of these altars I actually describe under (3) My third psalmist (INTRO- lines 16-21). Though my informant does not say so, the pan of salt holding names and burn- ing candles did not rest on the floor, but upon an altar. We must also suspect the presence of holy objects, such as pictures of saints. My great friend, the Rev. J. Langtry Williams - mentioned in Pictures for Alma at the end of Folklore from Adams County Illinois, 2nd edition - described the reli- gious arrangement of his part-time housekeeper. She being elderly and ill, he went up to Harlem (black section in New York City) on a pastoral call. Her whole room was an altar! Two wires from the four corners of the ceiling sagged and crossed in the center'of the room. Along these wires at intervals were strung holy pictures and objects. In one of the corners was a shelf or small stand hold- ing a colored light with a float. She had seen my friend's sanctuary lamp over in the church, but these private shrines were common long before she met Father Wil- liams. All these religious actions are concerned with what I call the magic of the diagonal, one arm or both of the "x" or St. Andrew's cross. Hoodoo has many similar rites - the old housekeeper's also being a quincunx, which again is well represented in Hoodoo. For similar private shrines see: CUSTODIAN OF A SHRINE, PP.1139-1158; BEER FOR ST. PETER, CIGAR AND WHISKEY FOR ST. ANTHONY, PP.1220-1236; A WOMAN AND HER THREE SAINTS, Pp.1401-1414; etc, all in v.2.] In a sense [instance?] of that kind my godmother always burned nine candles and they have a beef tongue. Well, see different peoples come there and wanted cases dismissed [from court]. They'd get a beef tongue and they'd stick that beef tongue full of pins. And they have a string running from this part of the wall to that part. They'd tie that tongue up there [demonstrates].
(So it's hanging between the walls, you mean?)
Yes sir, yo' see just like de corner there [points].
(Yes.)
Well, they'd tie it hanging - hang it in the corner that way. An' they'd put them [demonstrates].
(Across - well, just one over the other.)
Yes.
(You put the strihg across one corner, one - show me how you do.)
See [demonstrates]. (Like that, I see. One cord over the other cord just so it cuts off a corner.) Yes. (They cut off the space in a triangle [the cut-off space becomes a triangle]. All right.) The left-hand corner of the house.
(Well, which is the left-hand corner of the house?)
Well, that [points to it] would be the left-hand corner of this house. You mean coming in? (Oh, it's the left-hand corner coming in. All right. And [demonstrates again] they hang this tongue in that [2 wires] like a swing? They put it in a swing?) Yes, see.
(All right.)
Just put two string between two corners - see, like that.
(Holes [nails] right in the corner.)
An' they puts [in the tongue] a whole paper of stick pins, pointed pins, yo' know. Stick 'em in this all ovah, all around. An' they write dat name on them candles - they got nine candles there.
(What name do they write on there?)
They write your name [client] on there.
(The person that wants to get free.)
Sure. Now they write your name on there. And then they take any kind of pan an' they'll fill that pan with salt, an' they'll write that judge an' the dis- trict attorney name on there, an' put it in this salt.
(What will they write all that on?)
On paper.
(I see, and put it in the salt. All right.)
An' put it in this salt. An' when they light them candles they go ahead on to the court house. If yo' not discharged that day, the case is throwed off. An' when they come back again, make another dressing [repeat the candle ceremony], maybe it throwed off again. (Now, you put all these nine candles in that pan of salt, burning. Are they all lighted at once? What color are the candles?)
[All candles are lighted at the same time.]
Different colors.
(I see.)
Red, blue, green, yellow, white - different colors. (Different colors, I see. But my name [client's name] is written on those candles, I see.) See, an' they write de judge an' de district attorney name - put that on that paper upside down like that an' light them candles an' go on out. Now, that case liable to be thrown out today. All right, call that case up again, fust de morning before that case is called at 9:15, dey light them candles again. Maybe throwed out that time. Next time....
Entry 8982
Yo' go to de slaughter pen an' yo' get yo' a fresh beef tongue. An' yo' write his name, whosomevah, if yo' kin get dem witness names. Yo' write dem witness name down. Write each witness name down on a piece of papah. An' yo' take dat beef tongue an' split it open just like dis [demonstrates] an' put all dem names in dat beef tongue an sew it back up. An' yo' wrap dat up good an' yo' go on down dere [to court] wit dat in yore pocket. An' sit dere. When de witness get up dere, dey can't talk. All dem tongue-tied, dey can't say nuthin - just cross-talk, dey can't say nuthin. An' yo' goin' to get discharged.
Entry 8983
Yo' take a beef tongue an' yo' goin' to court, an' yo' takes it, an yo' put de one's name who got yo' arrested, an' de judge, an' de district attor- ney and the party dat's accusin' yo' [caused the arrest] an' yo' puts de [3] names in dere. An' yo' write it an' yo' stick it a way down in dat tongue. Yo' go to court an' yo' can carry dat tongue wit yo', wrap it up good, in yore pocket. When dey get ready to say somepin, dere tongue will be tied, becuz dere name is down in dat tongue - pushed a way down in dere - an' dere mind get all up [upset], an' dere tongue get heavy. It's just like if yo' take somepin [and put it] on my tongue - put anythin' in dere. It goin' to make it still heavier, if it held wit a weight, ain't it? Well, dat'd make de tongue get heavy an' dey can't say nuthin. So dat's de reason why - dat's what a tongue do's. Yo' put de name in dere, de party dat accused her [had her arrested], de judge, an' de district attorney. Dat's who all names yo' want, Just de three names: de party dat's ac- cusin' 'er, de judge, an' de district attorney. [New Orleans, La., (826a) 1212:2.]
Entry 8984
Well, de beef tongue. If a guy have commit a crime, why yo' git dat beef tongue an' put nine needles in it, [name of criminal in], an' take it to de cemetery an' put it on a grave. Wrap it up yo' know an' put it on de grave. An' it'll stay there till it spoil an' fade away. An' in dat time it fade away, dis guy will be back, yo' see, an' den he's captured.
(Whose grave do you put this tongue on?)
Well, yo' put it on any' grave dat chew know of, who had not been buried, yo' know, not so very long.
(You don't put it on the grave of the man who was killed?)
No, no.
(This is to bring back some man who has committed a crime?)
Well, yo' see, de man dat had done committed de crime, why yo' jes' put it in on a grave dat chew know of people were real smart peOpZe [DOES THIS MEAN THE GRAVE OF A "TWO-HEAD?" IF SO, THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE MY ONLY EXAMPLE OF USING THE GRAVE OF A "TWO-HEAD" - A HOODOO CANONIZED INTO A SAINT!] An' den When dat fade, why de man will be back an' be captured.
Entry 8985
Yo' take beef tongue an' dries it. Yo' make a dust out of dat, under- stand. Yo' take that an' dries it. Yo' take it - just like yo' take it an' lay it, let it just wither up. Hang it so it wither up, yo' see. Well, yo' take it, yo' take blood of dragon - dragon's blood. Yo' take lodestone. Yo' take that an' grind it up. An' yo' takes a piece of red flannel an' yo' puts them in there an' makes yo' a bag out of that. An' yo' sew it up an' yo' tote it in your pocket. He always be's lucky an' successful man, never being bothered or worried or caught up when he's out walking around. See, he ain't got no job or nothing, he's out hustling for his living. Laws and things don't pick him up an' ask him a lot of questions or any- thing. If they ask him, all he's got to do is to tell him, why he's goin' tend- ing to his business, an' they let's him go.
Entry 9119
(1) Dey could git a big sage leaf an' write de Ten Commandment on dat sage leaf an' take it tuh de co't an' yo' make out anybody dere an' jes' throw it. (2) Eithah yo' could take a red onion an' split it in fo' parts an' sprinkle salt in it an' carry it in yore pocket han'ke'- ch'ef, an' whilst in dere, blow yore breath once in awhile. (3) Or eithah yo' kin take a [silver] ten cents an' put it undah yore tongue an' hold it dere, an' dat will make de party dat's against yo', 'sturbed [dis- turbed].
Entry 9120
Yo' goes tuh a palm tree an' go on de side de sun rise on, an' yo' chop dat down, right tuh de root of it. An' yo' gits some of dat [root] an' yo' could sew some of dat up wit six sage leaves. Yo' gits six sage leaves. (You get some of this palm root and then you mix these six sage leaves in there. All right.) Yo' mix it up an' put it tuhgethah an' yo' kin sew hit up - sew it up tuhgethah. An' yo put three intuh dat - three of those six [sage] leaves - three of 'em. Yo' mix it up tuhgethah an' give a person one tuh weah in each one of his shoes. Dat is fo' trouble, lak yo' got a case in co't, a bad case. Dat'll kinda he'p yo' out in co't. (In this bag you have three sage leaves with this palm root and he has one [sage leaf] in each shoe. All right he has one left over. What is he going to do with that?) He takes dat othah one an' he keeps hit till he go inside [court], an' when he go inside, he puts it in a knot undah his tongue - undah his tongue - an he be talkin'.
Entry 10269
[A woman] fixes a man so he don't have nature fer any other woman. Ah [a doctor] always nuses [uses] pure cream wit a massage to him - wit de cow cream - an' give him dis rattlesnake master an' deer tongue root. Take de deer tongue an' dig an' git de root part of 'em, an' boil 'em all into one. An' de picka- nettZe [for identity See later]. An' boilt it into one an' give him to drink; [remedy] which most [people] says is worked as a Spanish fly work, but ah did not add dat. You better not [in your work] call it dat [Spanish flyl. But it work jes' as you.... Dis cream dat she got - what I gave him to massage hisself, begin wit black gunpowder. Dat will kill de germs of whatever she put on him, whatever kind of herb she put on him; a powder, have to be a dust. It have to be a burnt dust to take effect - put on him. I wash him off wit an' give him dis to take an' dat will give him a nature to go anywhere wit any woman. (This "pickle" business [actually "pickanettle"] is the same as "gall of the earth, " isn't it?) Yes, sir. It grows straight up [the reason why it is used as an aphrodisiac], but ah got some near to de house. Ah'll make it mah business to come back an' bring some of mine so you could see jes' what ah got. It grows jes' straight up jes' like it got lotsa thorns on de back. [I had heard of pickanettle in Charles- ton, a nettle or thorny plant of some sort.]
Entry 11293
Ah heard dat dey take de dog, if a woman wanted tuh git somebody outa her way - no doubt if, it jes' a friend of hers [get rid of a rival]. Den, if she Would take de dog, prob'ly kill de dog an' take de dog's heart - it wasn't de livah - it was de heart of a dog, an' den take de heart [center] out from undah his hoof [pawl. Jes' take dat piece of meat out from undah his foot dere, an' take de heart of a dog. An' yo' takes dat an' yo' cooks it an' yo' makes a salve out of it, jes' cook it down tuh a salve. Take de watah off or de grease or whatevah it is. If yo' jes' git dis on her any place - jes' git some of it on her any place, fo' five [4 or 5] diff'ren' times, den yo' could cause dis wo- man jes' tuh run an' huffer jes' lak de dog does. Jes' run jes' lak yo' see a dog run 'long wit his tongue hangin' out. Well, dis woman she would git jes' lak de dog [less attractive to man both were after].
Entry 11337
Well, yo' take now fo' love - yo' know whut dese little ole hoot owls is, yo' know. No, ah mean dese little morning [mourning] doves. (Mourning doves that coo-coo like that?) Yes. Well, see a person kin go out, chew know, an' kill one of dem an' cut de tongue from under his mouth, an' place it under yore tongue in yore mouth an' kiss a girl, an' it'll be hard fo' yo' to git rid of her. She'll come to be in love with yo' an' yo' couldn't git rid of her.
Entry 11338
Mah husband had quit me once an' a girl tole me about a dove. She tole me tuh take de tongue of dat dove an' put it tuh dry, an' den lay it in Hearts Cologne, an' den when ah gits a chance tuh go wit mah husband, tuh put it in mah mouth an' kiss him, an' his love would come new ag'in to me. So ah tried it an' suah enough, it did.
Entry 12774
If I wanta harm yuh - if I wants tuh harm yuh, I'm goin' show yuh de way I'd harm yuh. Now, ah've got somepin dat ah wants to git nex' to yo' fo'. Ah'll come to yore house an' sit down an' talk wit chew today. Dat to git de sense to see what chew, yuh notice me about, if yo' don' notice me too much. Den tomorrah when ah come back, ah bring my dose [mix- ture] what I wants to git nex' to yo', an' sprinkle it in yore house. An' de day what chew got - understand, dat what chew got. When ah leave yo' house, [you] will always wanta see me all de time.
(Well, what sort of dose would you fix up?)
Well, ah'll fix up sompin wit lobelia and hippo - lobelia and hippo root. [This may be my only example of Hippo, the name of the blood flower from the Bahamas.] Now ah git blacksnake powder or rattlesnake powder an' tie yo' up.
(Rattlesnake powder?)
Rattlesnake powder an' tie yuh up. Yo' take dis rattlesnake powder - yo' take it an' bring it wit chew out de Woods an' yo' put one knot in it. Git de blacksnake-shoestring [he means] de devil's-shoestring. Tie dat together an' ah've got chew.
(What is this blacksnake root that you tie up?)
Blacksnake root? Blacksnake root supposed to conkah anything yo' start after, an' rattlesnake powder...
(Rattlesnake powder?)
Rattlesnake powder, dat's a big bush grows about dat high an' grows about dat wide [demonstrates]. Yo' kin take it - yo' kin go to de woods an' take it an put it in yore yard or plant it in yore flowers. But it's no good heah to yuh, yo' gotta git it out de woods. Git chew five-fingah grass. It grows about dat high [demonstrates]. Yo've seen snake's tongue, ain't chew? Well it jes' like a snake's tongue. It grows about dat high [demonstrates], from de ground an' it spread out jes' like a snake's tongue.
(Well, what do you do with that five-finger grass?)
Yo' take dat an' bring it to yore house an' conkah anybody dat chew wanta come by. Anything dat come to yo' mind to do, yo' kin do it. Yo' don't miss nuthin.