Subject:Underclothes
Entries
Entry 3611
Ah heard dat if yo' didn't want chure woman to leave fo' nobody else, dat chew take an' take a string outa her petticoat or 'er bloomahs or somepin lak dat an' git it wet wit some of 'er monthly stuff, an' take an' tie it in nine knots an' wear it roun' yore waist, dat no othah man can't mess wit 'er. Evah time he go dere he'll fall right down dere evah time.
Entry 4362
They take the underclothes and they can cut a piece out of the man from under his arm or from the tail of the shirt and wear it on a person. They sew that up in a piece of red flannel. They take that and satu- rate it, you know, with the same in- gredients, urine and Hearts Cologne. [This, of course, is a hand - pp.519-669.] They say then they can control 'em like that. Or they can take them and throw them away. They can carry them back in the woods and hang 'em up on the west side of a tree where the wind just blows and wears it all the time. They say whenever that blows and wears down from up there, why then the person will die. But chew got a new cord, like this wrappin' twine. You get that right off from the ball, right off from the cord where there's never any been pulled off, and fasten it on that tree or bush or what chew put it on. But you put it so the wind can blow it and the rain beat it. And whenever this cord rots, you see, and that blows away from where it's at, they say the person then'll soon die.
Entry 4556
It's a long time since ah went tuh a [hoodoo] woman, but ah went tuh a Woman ovah heah when ah wuz [having trouble with my husband]. An' she tole me tuh git de seat of 'is undahwears dat be's dirty an' de bow outa his hat, dat little bow dat be's on de inside. She tole me tuh git dat out an' sew hit in de seat of mah bloomahs, an' dat would make him come back an' ca' fo' her [me] mo' den he evah would do'.
Entry 4719
Yuh has some dirty undahweahs. Dey will go take yore undahweahs an dey will burn 'em. Dey have tuh burn 'em tuh ashes. Dey take it an' take 'em [ashes] wit 'em, see, an' blow it away dataway an' dat'll keep yuh on de drag, so when yuh got shoes, yuh need a hat; when yuh got a hat, chew need a coat; when yuh got coats, yuh need a pants. Dat keep yuh on de drag. Now, if yuh kin - if anybody yuh suspect, yuh undahstan', or whosomevah dat did so, yuh see, yuh take yuh dat parchment papah an' yo'd write dere name on dat. Den yuh write chure name roun' dat. See [demonstrates].
(You write the [your] name right around the [in a] circle?)
Yeah, yuh got dem in a circle. Take dat same papah an' burn it tuh a powdah. Put it in a plate an' blow. Yuh blow dat same luck back on 'em [this is return- ing the spell].
Entry 4733
Take dat chicken an' bury 'im alive undahneat' de hearth. An' yuh take, see yuh take all de insides of de chicken out, an' yuh take de person's undah- clothes. Take de person's underclothes, as much of it, yuh know, dat's got'is, whatevah it is, yuh see. Yuh kin take dat, in de seat of it, an' put it in de chicken an' sew 'im up, if he's alive. An' yuh kin put 'im undahneat' de hearth, or any place, or bury 'im, undahstan'. An' whoevah dat person is, when dis chicken dies, yuh'll die, too.
(The chicken is alive?)
Yessuh, a live chicken, an' a roostah. Yuh don't kill 'i. Yuh jis' cut 'im Open an' take it out jis' as quick as yuh kin, an' push de chicken back tuhgethah an' bury 'im in dat hole while he's alive an' kickin'.
(Any kind of a chicken will do?)
Any chicken will do.
Entry 4748
Ah've heard of dat. Yo' take de seat of a person's undahweah an' break a aig in it an' let it stand fo' 24 hours an' dat will stop de man from runnin' aroun'.
Entry 4770
If yuh feel like yuh needs it, all right, jis' take yore undahclothes an' wear 'em nine days an' make yore wishes. Yuh turn 'em wrongside outwards, yuh kin take anything yuh want an' no one cain't do yuh anything at all.
Entry 4771
Ef ah see dat somebody look like dey movin' me out, why den ah'd take mah tablecloth an' mah undahclothes an' put 'em on de wrong side. An' ah go down [to rent office or court], if ah done spected [suspected] dey ruled me out. Ah would change mah undahclothes an' put 'em on de wrongside an' go down, an' ah wouldn't be worried no more. An' ah kin talk wit 'im an' he sees how ah'm back.
Entry 4783
Git some of yore undahclothes an' git de seat of 'em right out where it right 'twixt yore laig. Well, dey kin tie nine knots in 'em an' dey tell [say] de doctor [M.D.] has tuh op- erate on yuh. Dey [these knots] tie nine knots in yore stock [= stuk = gut], in yore intestine, yuh know.
(You mean they get the back part of the seat?)
Yeah de back part.
Entry 4794
(This is to make a woman come back or to make her stay with you. Now what do you do?) Is tuh take a piece of 'er undahclothes, de piece right nex' tuh 'er, an' nail it up side of yore house undah a new piece of lumber, an' tap de nail, de no't [north] side of it nine times, an' it will make de woman come back tuh live. (What do you mean by tapping the north side of the nail?) Well tuh have de lumbah, de piece nailed up, side of no't an' sout' [the piece of siding runs north and south], an' de nail dat's nailed on de no't side is tuh tap it nine times.
Entry 4842
Jis' lak a man go out, yuh see, an' yuh cain't make him stay at home. Well, yuh take his undahsuit an' yuh scrape dat cotton lak dat - yuh see, dat lint. Take dat lint where yuh kin scrape it, see, an' put it in a little bag an' some sugah, an' wear it on de side an' dat'll make 'em stay at home. Wear it on de side nex tuh yore skin, jis' eithah side - ary one. Dat'll make him stay at home an' give yuh 'is money. "
Entry 5494
Take his hair...
(With that little bow.)
[Bow was mentioned before I turned on recording machine.]
Yes, take de hair an' put it in a bottle an' bury it. Yo' buries dat. Bury dat wit some of 'is tracks. See, yo' take an' bury dat wit some of 'is tracks. Dat will make him follah yo' evahwhere, anywhere yo' go. (What else do you put in that bottle?) Some of 'is hair, some of 'is dust out from undah 'is feet, an' den some of de ravels from 'is undahclothes - from undah 'is arm an' yo' know down below.
(Some of the sweat.)
Yo' know, jes' lak dey'd git chure dirty clothes an' ah'd take some of de ravels. An' put it in a bottle, undahstan', an' yo' carry dat an' bury it. Bury it out at chure do'step. He'll follah yo' anywhere.
Entry 6070
[Take a piece of] de petticoat an' [or] de bloomahs an' cut de - a little top of dere hair off. Well, an' git de same thing off a man [his under- clothes]. An' mix it togethah in a soda-watah bottle. An' take it an' carry it to de end of de do'step an' put it - not too deep, jes' a little deepah 'nuff where yo' know dey could not tell it. An' let 'im walk ovah it fo' nine mawnin's. Dey say dat will come to keep 'im at home an' he'll come to love yo' an' can't no othah woman git 'im.
(Wait a minute! You take the hair from the top of a man's head, you say?)
De mole of 'is haid, yes. Den dat from right on yo'self down dere, yo' know, jes' cut about two stran's.
(From a woman?)
Yeah, an' mix it togethah, an' git chew half a bottle of 'logne [cologne] an' so' dress it wit dat. Well, yo' go right - cut 'er bloomahs right in de seat of 'em. Well yo' git it out de seat of de man de same. An' put it togethah. Well, aftah yo' do dat, chew take about a little teaspoon - not a little, jes' a drop, but not so much, an' let it be kinda graveyard dirt. Put it in de bottle an' shake it up. Well, yo' go right to de end of de do'step an' yo' call a person nine times. Well, when yo' call 'em nine times, take it an' stick it right to de front of de do'step - put it down dere yo' know, kinda deep undah where yo' couldn't tell it. An' nine mawnin's - fo' nine mawnin's, well, when yo' git up yo' [call?] 'im [his name] about six [nine] times. Well yo' take it out from dere an' carry it to a cornah right where yo' know he comes out backwards an' forwards - dat same route road - come right to de cornah. [Does informant mean corner of the outside chimney, the old-fashioned country toilet, where he would urinate on this conjure or hand? I do not believe corner of a path or crossroad is meant, where other people would walk over the buried object. Bottle was orig- Inally buried at "corner" of doorstep. This is cornering a man.] Why yo' bury dat an' let it stay dere fo' so many days, certain days. Well, aftah yo' do dat, see, dat'll keep dat man an' woman togethah. See. [A comment of mine made while checking cylinder reads, "Talking too fast."]
Entry 7134
Git de right-foot shoe an' any piece he weah nex' tuh 'im - his undahclothes-lak. When dey go tuh sleep, take dat piece whut he weah nex' tuh 'im, an' put it ovah 'is face. An' take his shoe, de right-foot shoe an' turn it down. He'll continue sleepin' dere until dey go an' take dat from ovah 'is face an' turn 'is shoe back up straight in de night.
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 9002
Well, if de individual is in de courthouse - yo' know dat simple rock candy - dat rock candy if yo' can get it, to get to de individual dat is locked up in jail, having 'im overnight to put dat rock candy all around de bunk dat he sleeps in or de bed. See. Taking some of dis perfume dey call Coty's.
(Coty's, yes. [I spell the word!]
C-o-t-y?) Absolutely. [In other words, do not use a cheap perfume, use a well-known brand.] Saturating his underclothes well with it - shirt also. Next mawn- in' puttin' on de clothes on de wrongside - shirt also. In three hours he will be acquitted from de case.
(I see.)
Entry 9322
(What are you going to do this for? What is the purpose of this thing?) Dat's tuh make 'em commit suicide. Yo' take 'er undahclothes an' her name, an' put it down nine ways. Yo' jes' write de writin' out till yo' cain't undahstan' it. [The writing becomes illeg- ible.] Yo' don't know whatsomevah it is. Den yo' kin take an' put it in a aig, see, an' throw dat ovahbo'd. Dat make dere mind, dey jes' go an' commit suicide. (You put this underclothing and this name - written on a piece of paper nine times - and put that all into an egg and throw that overboard. Then she will commit suicide in nine days.) [This rite is similar to preceding one, the piece of underclothing being very small.]
Entry 9732
If yo' want tuh kill a woman or a woman wants tuh kill yuh, she could take six rusty nails an' git a piece of yore undahclothes, an' [or] ole stockin'. Takes it an' drop it intuh a quart jah an' screw de top on it. An' left about three holes in it, where jes' a li'l' sand kin drop in dere. An' bury it undah yore steps, if yo' aren't scared. An' den yo' walk in an' out an' back an' fo'wards [over it]. Jes' as de sand drop in dere, yo' [inside the quart jar] gits sick. Well, yo' git tuh de play [place] yo' won' be no mo' good tuh yuhself or nobody else. An' de mo' sand drop in dere de mo' closah yo' gits tuh yuh grave. Jes' kill yuh, yo' know.
Entry 10577
(I don't understand what you mean. Tell me the whole thing.)
You take your underclothes. You ketch that bat and tame him, you know, and put that - your underclothes - in his mouth and let him go. And wherevah he go and travel, you gotta travel right on behind. (What do you - you put some underclothes in his mouth, you say?) Yeah, you take and cut the seat of somebody's underclothes out and let him swallow; if he can't swallow it, take a stick and push it down. And just let him go on.
(I see.)
Entry 11066
But dere's somepin dat ah have tried fo' mahself dat's very true. Once ah wus in love with a girl an' ah wus jest crazy about her an' she didn't like me - didn't seem to. So at night when ah would go in - she wus staying in one room an' ah wus in de other. One mornin' she went out an' left some of her things in dere, an' ah took a piece of her underskirt an': sew it right in de seat of mah cloths, mah underclothes, an' ah wore it fo', ah wore dat suit fo' a year. An' [meanwhile] she left an' she came back. She tole me, says, "Yo' done sompin tuh me?" Ah says, "No, ah haven't did anything tuh yo'." She says, "Yo' have so." She says, "Some way ah'm jest gittin' so crazy about chew ah don't know whut in de world tuh do." Say, "Ah can't stay off, ah can't stay heah, '' say, "but whatevah yo' did... Ah tole her, "Not anything." So, fo' several days later ah tried it, an' ah take de thing out. See dat's uhut mah mother told me dis, if ah ever wanted tuh do a thing like dat. An' ah'd taken it out an' burned it up, an' right now she's jest as crazy about me. Dat's been seven years ago.