Subject:Wipe
Entries
Entry 3172
[There are many examples of this magic rite elsewhere.]
Evah time jes' when he start to deal up wit 'em, some of dese broad wise one dey takes, instead of yo' wipin', dey wipes it, pulls it down. Dey don't pull it uP, pull it down, an' den yore horn will stay down. When yo' git aroun' anythin lak dat it will curl up like a grubworm, instead of goin' in. (That's all they have to do then, just wipe it?) Some of 'em will take an' wipe it off, yo' know, an' dey will pull it down an' make wishes an' stuff lak dat an' it will stay down.
Entry 3198
If a man gwine wit a woman. An' he'd ketch a toadfrog an' wrap 'im up in 'is pocket han'chef an' tote him in 'is pocket. An' when he have connection wit dat woman - she'll not know whut he doin' - take dat han'chef quick outa dere an' dry off dat woman. Dry 'er off wit dat from dat frog. An' de nex' man come dere, he'll be all right till time he gits up dere, den he fall. He cain't he'p it. But yo' gotta do dat mo' den one time. Jes' as it happen [do it each time it happens]. Dat's fur as ah know 'bout dat.
Entry 3238
Ah know dis wuz positive cuz ah have tried dis. Ah've known mah hus- ban' tuh run out a lot, an' ah took - an' a lady [doctor] tole me somepin tuh do, it wuz worryin' me so, yo' know. An' quite nachural it wuzn't nuthin tuh hurt 'im at all, it wuz jes' tuh gain 'im back tuh mahself, see. An' she tole me tuh go uptown an' git a nickel worth of dis cheap homespun, but let it be bran'-new an' take it an' come home an' tear a piece off an' don' use it fo' nuthin but dat. An' she tole me tuh take dis piece of homespun an' dry him off wit it fo' nine times. An' aftah ah dry 'im off dat ninth time, jump up right off de bed - don't care if it twelve a'clock, one a'clock or whut hour of night it is - while dat dishrag is wet, ah mean dat new homespun is Wet, an' take it an' BURY IT UP UNDAH DE STEPS AN' SAY, JOE, AH'M BURYIN' YORE NATURE HEAH BECUZ YO' HAVE LEAVE ME, AN' ALTOGETHAH YO' DIDN'T WANT ME. YO' WUZ GIVIN' MINE'S WHUT BELONG TUH ME TO SOMEONES ELSE. AN' AH'M BURYIN' YO' HEAH NOW FO' YO' TUH COME BACK HEAH AN' BE WIT ME AN' BESIDES ME NO OTHAH, AN' WHENEVAH YO' GO TUH GIT UP ON TOP ANOTHAH WOMAN YORE HEART WILL FALL. An' evah time he go tuh git up on anothah woman, tuh save his life he couldn't have it. Don't care if de Judgment comin' an' dat wuz goin' save him, he couldn't have 'er 'less he die, an' he cain't have her den. He jes' be up dere tryin'. Evah time he go tuh put somepin dere it jes' buckle back, couldn't do anythin' wit 'er. Ah've tried dat mahself. An' aftah ah did it fo' a limited time, ah watched 'im to see how it wuz goin' act yo' know - tuh see whut he goin' do. An' lak ah did it dis mawnin' an' on de nex' third day, he would be wit me an' all befo' he wuzn't bein' wit me. He'd be out yo' know, othahwise.
Entry 3260
He kin take dat inside sole of 'er shoe. Yo' know de piece inside. Take de inside outa her shoe, take her right one, an' he kin put on dere, write on dere, an' take jis' lak he gittin' 'is han'skuff or somepin or a piece of rag, a small piece of rag, an' make lak he's wiping, an' wipe her. An' wrap dat all up tuhgethah. But he writin' on it [before wrapping everything up he has written on the insole], say, I don't want no man to take her away from me - an' have her name down - an' give me no trouble about it. An' he keep dat so she won't put 'er han' on it. Well, kin no man take her away from 'im.
Entry 3325
Take a piece of new homespun an' let 'im wipe in it, an' den aftah he wipes in it, take it an' put it undah de bed mattress. Put it where he sleeps an' he can't have no connection wit no othah woman.
(Put it on the side on which he sleeps?)
Yeah.
Entry 3326
If yo' wanta hol' a woman, yo' git a piece of new homespun about dat uide[demonstrates].
(About a foot and a half wide.)
Yeah, 'bout a foot an' a half wide, an' when yo' have connection wit 'er, why yo' wipe three times - yo' gotta wipe three times. Yo' know, Jes' lak yo' be wit er - jes' lak yo' got yore pocket han'chif - understan', dat's lak a pocket han'chif, lak dat. (You wipe her three times.) Yeah, see when yo' git up offa her, understan'. Yo' gotta have dis three times, see. An' den yo' wipe her wit dat an' yo' take a jar - understan', a quart jar but it gotta be new, nobody use it atall. An' den yo' screw it up in dere tight an' bury it underneat' de house. An yo' don' have tuh worry no mo'.
Entry 3348
It have been said dat if a wumman has a husban', a bad husban' dat runs aroun' from wumman tuh wumman an' she wants tuh check 'im up, why she has a dish- rag. Instead of usin' dat dishrag whut she has been usin' fo' house purpose, she don't use it fo' dat no mo'. She take it an' may wipes 'im off wit it. An' Whensomevah he goes tuh someone else, why his nature will fall until he gits back tuh 'er.
(What does she do with that dishrag?)
Well, if she git dat dishrag an' 'serve [preserve] it an' wash it an' use it all along.
Entry 3352
See, if a woman wanta take a man's measure; she'll git a dishrag an' she'll wipe herself wit it an' den she'll wipe dis fellah, an' den she'll take it an' put it in 'er mattress an' keep it dere, an' see, evah time he have any dealin's wit anothah woman 'stead of he stayin' hard, he'll fall.
Entry 3360
Dey tell me dat whenevah him an' 'is wife, yo' see, would have an in- tahco'se, dey tell me dat she could take a dishrag, yo' see, an' aftah she git through yo' see, wipe him down wit it an' evah- thin', yo' see. An' take it yo' know an' put it up yo' know ovah de do' in a private place, where it can't be seen dat way. An' dey tell me he can't have nobody but 'er.
Entry 3362
She takes de dishrag - he fast asleep, fast asleep. Jes' take dat an' jes' wipe it down 'im an' call his name. Wipe it down, don't wipe it up, cuz hit'll come up. Yes, wipe it down, an' it'll be jes' lak de dishrag.
Entry 3363
Yo' could use eithah a bran'-new pocket han'cheff or eithah de dishrag, lak ah tole yo', tuh keep 'im from foolin' wit any othah woman, see. Yo' kin take an' wipe him down wit a bran'-new pocket han'cheff, an' take fo' nails an' nail it down undah de flo' undah yore rug, an' dat'll keep 'im. He couldn't raise a heart fo' othah women. Ah know yo' kin do dat.
Entry 3365
Dere's things she could do to make him love her. She could take a dishrag, she could pet 'im up to have intahco'se wit 'er. Take a dishrag an wipe him down an' bury one undah de do'steps an' put de other one undah de mattress or on de springs, an' he couldn't have no feelin' fo' no one but 'er. He'd have to love her cuz he couldn't git a passion fo' nobody but 'er, as long as she kept dat dishrag buried.
(Did she use one or two?)
She use two - yessuh, she uses two. She buries one undah de front do'steps an' uses de othah undah de mattress.
Entry 3377
Well, jes' lak yo' has a husban' an' yo' don' wan' 'im tuh make no co'se [intercourse] wit no othah woman, yo' go somewhere an' yo' steal a dish- rag - doesn't use yore own dishrag, yo' steal some othah woman's dishrag. An' why latah in de night when yo' wit 'i, make lak [pretend] yo' also wit 'im an' yore not. See, yo' git yores an' not his'n. Well, yo' take yo' a piece of money an' tie it up in a rag an' yo' wipe 'im off wit dat same dishrag. Well, ah would tote it an' ah wouldn't throw it away. An' he couldn't have no othah woman den but chew [me].
(You say he doesn't wipe with that rag at all?)
No sir. Yo' wipe him, see. Yo' don't wipe yores atall. He won't undahstan' whut chure doin', see. Yo' don't make connection wit 'i - may pertend yo' do's. (And you put a piece of money in that rag and TIE IT UP IN A CORNER. WHY DO YOU PUT THAT MONEY IN THAT RAG?) Yes - well, de rag will keep him down. See, dat's money, an' dat makes yo' git de money.
Entry 3391
Whut could yo' do wit a greasy dishrag. Well, if yo' got a man an' yo' don't want 'im tuh care fo' anybody else, yo' kin take a greasy dishrag an' let 'im drink off an' yo' don't. Take dat greasy dishrag an' wipe him fo' nine times wit it an' den fold it in nine different Ways tuh yo', fold it all de time tuh yo'. Den yo' put it up ovah anywhere dat he's gotta walk in an' out undah. Dat'l keep 'im from goin' wit othah women.
Entry 3393
Well, ah tell yo', it's very simple - it's nuthin very much to do. If yore husban' - if a woman's husban' have anothah woman an' she kin jis' fix 'i, he can't bothah no woman but 'er, cuz a ole lady tole me dat years ago when ah were quite young. An' she said, "Any time yo' wants yore husban' tuh stop goin' wit othah women an' stay home more, '' she say, "yo' take yore dishrag." Yo' know yore dishrag'll git right greasy, if yo' don't change 'em offten. An' she said, "Yo' take yore dishrag." She said, "Don't wash it, leave it git right greasy - whut yo' wash dishes wit." An' she say, "Any time he have - always carry dis dishrag to bed." She said, "Don't leave it in yore kitchen any more, " she said, "but yo' carry it to bed an keep it by yore bed where he won't see it." An' she say, "An' when he have a connection wit yo', " she say, "yo' always use it yoreself an' bring [wipe] it to yo'. Yo' dry 'im yoreself. An', " she say, "when yo' dry 'im, bring it to yo
(Oh! bring it out to you?)
Uh-hmm, bring it to yo' dat way. "An', ' she sayed, '"den if yo' have a towel or somepin, give it to 'im an' let 'im take to 'imself, " she said, "but yo' always do dat [wiping] first." An' she sayed, "He can't bothah no othah woman but choo." Well, I know dat by experience becuz when I married my second husban' he wuz awfully - yo' know, he wuz much older dan me an' he quite natchly he had othah womens befo' he evah met me. But he got where it seemed dat he got so careless, he wouldn't stay home like he ought to, an' ah loved 'im dearly. An' he would go away an' stay an' stay. An' one night ah wuz cryin' an' all dis come to me, as dis ole lady tole me dat, when ah had my first husban' an' ah wuz in my teens. An' ah did dat thing. An' so finally, he [second husband] wuz named John Jen- kins. An' finally John commen' [commense] tuh stayin' home. Sometimes ah said, "Why don't yo' go on out" - jis' tryin' 'im, yo' know. Ah say, "Yo' don't nevah stay home, " ah said, "Ah'm surprised at yo' bein' home." He said, "Well, ah don't care to go out any more much an' ah thought ah'd try to: stay here at home." He say, "Ah want to stay here an' watch yo'." Ah said, "Well, stay here an' watch me den." We jis' pass it off dat way. An' finally one night he tole me, he say, "Ulah." I say, "Huh?" He say, "Yo' always aftah me 'bout othah wimmins." He say, "Yo' all ought not to bothah me 'bout othah wimmins." He say, "Ah used to would run aroun' bad, ' he said, "but ah tell yo', '' he says, "here of late, " he says, "ah got where, "' he say, "ah want to tell yo' de truth." He say, "Ah've tried, '' he said, "but ah can't bothah no woman in de world but yo'.' He say, "Ah have tried - all my old friends ah used to be roun' wit, ah can't do anythin' to dem.' He say, "But when ah git to yo', " he said, "ah'm all right." Ah said, "Well, maybe dat's de way God intends it." An' ah know fer myself an' ah'll nevah forgit dat. Co'se ah ain't got no husban', no friends, nuthin now, but ah won't forgit dat.
(What did you do with the dishrag then?)
Take de dishrag aftah yo' use it wit 'im fer nine times an' bury it undah de do'step.
(And after that, then he's no good?)
Ain't no good. He's no good. [Why? See informant's remarkable story about his biting her, 888, p.319.]
Entry 3396
Well, if he lose 'is nature an' cain't nevah git up no heart or nuthin lak dat, well, yo' slip aroun' tuh yore sistah's house [anyone's house], an' slip in de kitchen an' git [steal] a dishrag an' wipe 'is prick down fo' nine mawnin's straight. It'll come back.
Entry 3405
She kin take a dishrag an' jes' wipe it [him] three times. He won't have no use fo' nobody but 'er. (What would she do with that dishrag then?) She jes' keep dat dishrag an' stick it in 'er pillah an' sew it up in dere. She won't let 'im see it, though.
Entry 3455
If yo' be fortunate 'nuff fo' two dogs tuh make connection lak dat an' jes' lak one be yore dog, an' yo' take a piece of cloth an' go right dere an' she watah [nature, not urine is meant] on hit, an' yo' take an' go to de man an' yo' wipe dat man down wit dat cloth. When he go tuh de othah woman, dey'll be jes' lak dem dogs.
Entry 3457
Well, ah got a girl fren' or wife an' she's runnin' wit some.an an' ah reckon ah wanta ketch 'er, go tuh where two bulldogs tied up. An' take a pockt han'ke'chuf or eithah a new piece of vhite boe spun cloth an' vipe dose dogs off wit it, an' yo' ties it up. Yo' ties it in a knot, a hard knot, an' yo' totes it; an' whenevah yo' have connection wit dis woman, yo' wipes 'er wit it. Yo' totes it in yore pocket.
(What does that do?)
Dat makes yo' ketch 'er.
(What will that do to that woman then?)
It will make her an' a man git tied up.
(If she goes with another man.)
Entry 3485
If a man leaves yo' an' yo' wants 'im back, de thing about it, yo'll have tuh git in wit 'im an' go tuh bed wit 'im, undahstan'. Well, if yo' go tuh bed wit 'im one time, yo' could buy a halfa yard of yellah homespun cloth an' aftah yo'all finish whut chure doin', yo' kin jes' stick dat yellah home- spun, dat halfa yard of yellah homespun an' wipe him down wit it three times. Yo' undahstand me, wipe him down three times an' git a thin [well-worn] dime from 'im. An' take yore time, take dat yellah homespun cloth to de cornah an' double it. Evah time yo' fold it, fold it towards yo'. An' git a piece of thread an' tie dat an' bury it at chure do'steps. He come right on, straight on back tuh yo'.
(You put that little dime in the corner of this cloth and keep folding it up.)
Towards yo' evah time. [This woman spoke in a whisper all through interview.]
Entry 3502
Ah know dat chew kin take a rag when yo' have intahco'se wit 'em, an ulpe 'im an' bring it towards yo', an' tie it up an' put it in de middle of yore bed undah de mattress, an' dey can't go wit nobody else but chew. (What do you mean by bringing the rag toward you?) Yo' wipe it, his thing, towards yo' an' den ball it up dght in a hard knot, an' den put it in de middle of de mattress up undah de bed, an' he can't go wit nobody else. [The middle of the mattress and its 4 corners are the 5 points of a quincunx, see p.710 and many places in HOODOO.]
Entry 3555
An' den ag'in she kin git a new han'ke'chuf an' she kin wipe him up an' wipe her down, tie it in nine knots, an' den dat will make him stay home. (What will that do to him?) Dat'll make him so he can't have no othah woman, won't have no min' fo' runnin' roun'. [The magic of up or down is quite common, but up and down magic appears to be rare, I recalling but two examples: To make a baby long lived the person who serves as midwife should carry upstairs and then downstairs a thimbleful of the water used in washing the baby; and also: By running up and down the stairs with a baby you will make it spry. FACI 2nd ed., 3204 and 3206, p.145.]
Entry 3674
I've heard of people takin' snails. Take dat snail an' mash 'im up fine. Yo' git a dishrag out de kitchen, I've heard, take an' wrap 'im up in dat dishrag. An' when yo' fool wid a woman, yo' wipe her wid dat an' bury dat, an' she no good. Den if she happens to fool wid anothah man on yo', she's gon'a git hung jis' lak de dog.
Entry 3726
An' de dishrag in de same lak mannah. Take dat dishrag an' she'll wipe it, dry off wit dat dishrag. Don't make no diff'rence if it's dry or if it's been used in grease, an' dat takes 'er courage away. Takes all de nature away from 'em. Now if a woman ties yo' lak dat now de way dat she do, she'll wait till he's asleep an' she'll mess roun' wit chew an' she'll hang her gown or sompin ovah yore haid till yo' go tuh sleep yo' see [common rite]. An' she'll git a cord string an' she'll measure de length of yo', an' den when she measure de length of yo', she'll tie dat many knots in it, see. Den she'll tie it roun' 'er laig, right around de [calf] of 'er laig, or else roun' 'er wais'. Most of de time she tie it aroun' dere. Well, yo' find it an' yo' mistrust dat. Well den, yo' don't know whut tuh do, yo' tried evahthing, go to de doctors [M.D.'s] an' still dey ain't done any good. Well, yo' lay awake until yo' ketch 'er asleep, an' den yo' slip to her an' take dis cord string off of 'er. An' den when yo' take dis cord string off of 'er, while she's 'sleep, yo' kin take dis same [string] in lak mannah an' measure it [her] dis way, see. An'when yo' measure it dat way, an' den dis way, an' yo' tie it in string in dat shape.
(In a round shape?)
Yes, an' den yo' take dat same string an' yo' sew it; see, sew it from dis heah, dataway. Jes' cut it out an' sew dat togethah. An' dat will git off yo an' git on 'er. Den yo' take yo' some warm watah, as warm as yo' kin bear it, an' put table salt in it an'.wash yo'self real good. An' git cedar oil an' rub - jes' yo'self real good. An' take yo' a dry rag an' wipe down. Dry it off real good an' dat'll do away wit it.
Entry 3732
Well, ah hear tell of people takin' dere dishrag an' usin' de dishrag an' carryin' it back in de kitchen an' usin' it de same as dey had evah used it befo' an' dat stopped it.
(After they had wiped with the dishrag they would keep on using it?)
Use it jes' de same [for the dishes].
Entry 3735
Whenevah she heah of 'im makin' love [elsewhere], she wipe 'im down wit a dishrag, an' he cain't bother with nobody but her. (If he's been tricked, if he's been tied up with this dishrag. Now what can he do to get rid of it, you say?) Steal a dishrag from anothah house. He wipe himself up dataway. See, she wipes 'im down, an' he wipes 'isself up dataway.
Entry 3736
[They] say, if a woman loves a man so much dat she don't want 'im tuh go nowhere, jis' wit, except 'er, [here is] whut she did. She have got de dish- rag an' wipe dat man, don't chew understan', an' she put it ovah de do' or undah de step, don't chew understan'. When he go out why evahthin' jes' stays [as it was, he being unable to have another woman]. But now, fo' dat man tuh git rid of dat. He goes to some of 'is neighbor's house, yo' understan' an' steals a dishrag unbe- knownst to any of 'em an' he gits off from de house, why den throw it down [dem- onstrates], an' den dat relieves 'im of dat trouble. (All he has to do after he gets this dishrag is to leave the house where he stole it from. An' he just [wipes with it and] throws it down behind him?) Dat's right.
Entry 3737
Well, yo' wit wimmin folks an' can't - can't even, yo' know - yo' ain't even got no nature. Well, it's some othah wumman workin' dat fo' yo'. Yo' take a man dat runnin' roun' all de time, see wit dis wumman an' dat wumman. Well, it's some wumman gonna mess wit im some way or 'nother. Well, jes' lak dis othah wumman is workin' on 'im. well yo' take an' go tuh anybody's house an' steal a dishrag an' wipe off wit it. Wipe yo'self down, see. Well yo' go on out den an' yo' take it in yore left hand an' chunk it ovah yore left shouldah an' don't look back at it, an' dat'll break dat up.
Entry 3738
A man kin take an' kin slip a dishrag outa de kitchen an' wipe hisself down wit dat dishrag, out some place to hisself, an' throw it back lak dat [dem- onstrates] [over his shoulder] an' don' look back at it. Den yore nature will come back.
Entry 3739
An' den anothah way yo' could stop 'er again. It jes' lak if yo' an' 'er combine togethah, an' yo' ca'd [cared] anything about 'er. Well, yo' may all git through. De minute yo' git through wit de intahco'se, yo' undahstan' what I mean, jes' take it an' go to anybody house an' steal a dishrag. See, a dishrag. See, a dishrag dat dey would argue 'bout - wondah who de dishrag an' so on. Yo' undahstan' what I mean. Well yo' take dat an' yo' let it dry if it's wet, de one dat dey wash de dishes wit. An' when dey all have intahco'se, yo' take an' jes' slip dat on here, yo' undah- stan' an' let 'er wipe wit dat, see. An' when she use dat, why den yo' take an' throw it across de left side of 'er, see. Yo' know, make out lak yo' use it an when yo' gits through, throw it ovah on de left side, on de left side of 'er. An' den she nevah will have no use fo' no othah man. No othah man will suit 'er outside of yo'. (You mean you throw it over on the left side of her on the bed or on the floor or what?) Right ovah de bed on de floor, on de left side of 'er. [Charleston, S. Car.,
(525 to 530), 638:2+85.]
Entry 3743
If a man is goin' away from home an' he don't [want] nobody to fool wit 'is wife but 'isself, he take a dishrag what he wash dishes wit, an' jes' stroke his wife down three times an' he carry it in 'is back pocket, an' when he come back - she wouldn't have no nature fer nobody but 'im - when he come back jes' take de rag an' wipe it up three times an' den he go on 'er, she got de nature again.
Entry 3744
She best tuh [has to] fold it three time once and set there - set de iron on it fer thirty minutes an' fold it three times ag'in an' set de iron on it fer thirty minutes an' den she take it off. (What can I do to take that spell off? What can I do to get rid of that?) Yo' know what yo' have to do? It's been on me, see. Ah'm tellin' yo' what ah knows about it. Ah went to a root man an' ah paid 'im plenty an' he tole me what to do. To take it [spell of sexual impotence] off from yuh, yuh go tuh somebody house - jes' lak yore frien's - tell 'em yuh want a drink of watah. If he trust yuh, yuh go on in de kitchen an' yuh look aroun' until yuh see a dishrag. Steal dat dishrag an' yuh go on out somewhere in de night aftah sundown, an' wipe yuh- self up three times lak dat. See, up - three times up. An' take it an' go tuh somebody's house, an' hide it up undah de sill of 'is house. Dat'll break it.
Entry 3745
Yo' takes a dishrag. Go tuh anybody's home an' de dishrag is hangin' lak dey use it dis morning, yo' go tuh dere 'long 'bout now so hit's damp. Yo' steal de dishrag. Don't ask fo' it jes' steal it. An' go out tuh de way de sun rise an' turn yore face, turn yore face dat way [to east], turn yore back sunset, an' yo' takes an' yo' wipes three times straight down wit de dishrag, den across jes' lak dat [dem- onstrates].
(That will cross it out.)
[Informant's words down and then across, and my words cross it out, show in- formant makes sign of cross 3 times.l Across yore stomic.
(Oh, cross your stomach. From left to right or right to left?)
Bring it from de left tuh de right. An' yo' fold it tight, take it in yore lef' han' an' throw it ovah yore head an' go straight, don't look back. Go two blocks or mo' straight. Don't look back, jes' keep straight walkin'. Don' say nuthin to nobody. It's purtty hard tuh do 'cuz yo' might meet somebody, but place yo'self in a place whah yo' won't have tuh even speak tuh nobody. An co'se whatsomevah she got on yo' crossed up, she gotta redo it ag'in. But dat'll uncross yuh.
Entry 3750
Take a dishrag - jes' a dishrag. Lota women, yo' know, wipe de rag off - take dat rag an' dry him off 'erself wit dat dishrag. An' when he go to go wit anothah woman, it will fall on 'im evah time. Well, de same thing work one way an' it will work de othah. He take - if he feel dat she did 'im dataway, why he take a dishrag ag'in - yo' know he must steal one from somebody, or eithah if he got a home of 'is own, he kin take de dishrag outa his house, an' wash 'isself down wit it. An' take pure coal oil an' rub 'isself down, an' sweet milk. aftah dat - fresh sweet milk. It's all gone.
Entry 3932
A woman take a man's sock, yo' see, an' now she'll take dat man's sock an' she will come urwell. Well, now she'll take dat unwellness an' take an' dry it wit de man's sock. Well now, she'll take it, see, an' whenevah she let it git dry good in dere, she won't, say, wet it all ovah good, she'll jes' dampen it. Well, she'll take de sock den an' put it on de flo' or sompin an' press 'um, an' put 'em den where he kin git 'em. Well, now when he git dem sock an' put 'em on an' wear 'em, why his whole heart an' mind falls right onto her den. Dere's nobody else an' he ain't con- tented until he be's right wit 'er.
Entry 4513
A girl came from N'Yawk [New York]. She tole me whut tuh do if a man, if he doesn't love yo'. She tole me whut tuh do wit 'is hat. She said if a man doesn't love yuh an' yuh love him, dat yuh take his hat. An' when yuh walk off, yuh an' 'im walk off from de house, an' yuh turn roun'. Yuh know, perten' dat yo' have tuh go back tuh de house. An' yuh take his hat an' pull yore pants down an' rub it 'tween yuh legs twice an' walk on back. An' she said dis man would be crazy about chew. (What do you do when you turn around? You snatch his hat. You mean away from him?) Yuh know, some girls jes' take dere boy fren's hat an' put it on dere haid an' perten' dat it's cold or somepin an' jes' have on dere hat. It rainin' or sompin an' jes' have on dere hat - it rainin' or sompin. Dey jes' wanta put it on.
(She'll go on back to the house wearing his hat?)
Uh-huh. Do it twice.
Entry 5082
[Wiping, different from the magic rites of rub- bing, is itself often magic action; in fact, it frequently occurs in impotence causes and cures.] If she have any of 'is clothes, she kin bring 'im back. If he left any of 'is pieces he wore close tuh 'i, she kin git 'im back. Well, she take 'em jis wherevah - if he got a sock, stockin', or anythin' he's got, she'll take dat sock an' she'll wipe herself wit it. An' she'll fill it fulla sugah an' she'll roll it tuh 'er an' she'll sew it. An' right where he lay at, dat's where she'll put dat sock. An' de ninth day he'll be back.
Entry 5371
Yo' kin take a person's foot track an' ran 'em away. Well, perhaps some time we cain't find 'em [tracks] an' sometimes it be's so dat we cain't git de dirt from undah 'is track. Yo' might watch an' see jes' he put his feet on de concrete. Yo' kin take a clean pocket han'- ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin go dere an' jes' wipe dat track tuh yo' - wipe dat track tuh yo'. An' den yo' kin take dat han'ke'ch'ef an' yo' kin take it home. Set down wit it an' buy yo' a bran'-new box of red cayenne peppah, an' yo' kin take a teaspoon of dat cayenne peppah an' tie in de - yo' might say in de east corner of dat han'ke'- ch'ef. Dat track is all ovah dat han'ke'ch'ef [because] quite natchly [naturally] yo' wipe it lak dat, see. An' yo' take dat teaspoon of cayenne peppah an' yo'tie hit up in dere wit 'is name wrote. Yo' cross 'is name an' yo' tell 'im tuh go an' yo' put a bad name - yo' put a bad word tuh hit, on dere name. '[Bad name] an' ah wish yo'd go an' don' stay nowhere yo' go in peace." An' tie it up an' carry it tuh de rivah 'fore de sunrise. Throw it in runnin' watah an' he'll leave.
Entry 7286
When a man do a killin' lak dat, if he wants tuh git away where nobody bothah yo' [him]. Ah've heered dat whenevah he kills a man an' wants tuh git away, at de time dat chew kill 'im - first kill 'im - take a han'chief out of yore pocket or rag or somepin an' git some of 'is own blood, an' take dat blood whut chew git offa 'im an jes' smear it right cross yore nose - some part of yore nose. Put dat bloody han'chief back in yore pocket an' dey say dey nevah will ovahtake yo' an' yo' always will be out dere han's.
Entry 8391
Kin take de photograph an' dose pictures, take de haid yo' know. Take de pichures or sompin lak dat an' take his haid. She take an' wipe [that photo] yo' know wit a little pee yo' undahstan', see. Well, dat pichure standin' ovah heah. Yo' know, a girl, she Will do most anythin', so dat boy cain't quit 'er an' go no place yo' undahstand.
(She just puts her pee on his photograph?)
Dat's it.
(And she keeps it some place?)
Dat's right.
Entry 8854
Yo' know when yo' writin' a lettah, an' yo' got chure han's on de pen, mah [your] wrist is on de lettah. Well, dey cuts dis off. Dey cuts dis heah off de lettah, see. Well, dey take dat lettah whut yo' done Wrote an' wipe it on a piece of fresh meat, a piece of fresh meat, an' take dat meat an' carry it somewheres an' put it up. Put dat meat up until it completely dry. When dat meat completely dry - yo' take dat meat an' keep it where de sun stay hot an' all - an' when dat meat dry up, yo take dat meat an' yo' put it in a can airtight. It's hard dry. Dat kill yo' right dere. Yo' lose control of yore han', yo' have no mo' use of yore hand.
Entry 8951
If yo' have a case in de co't, whut chew have tuh do, [they] bring yo' [your] subpēnē. Look at yore subpene. An' yo', when yo' git dis subpene, yo take dis subpene - see dat? (That's the corner [of the imaginary sub- poena], yes?) Dis is one, dis two [corners]. Jis' bring it [subpoena] to yo' all de time [demonstrates by wiping his anus with each corner of subpoena.]
(One - two....)
Three, an' yo' come wit de fo'th one an' yo' fold it. Yo' take dat subpene an' yo' take an' pass it, hold it lak dat. Yo' gotta hold it lak dat. An' yo' pass it right in heah three times. Pass it in yoreself, in yore hin' part...
(Just as though you were wiping yourself?)
Yes....in yore hin' part an' when yo' pass it in yore hin' part, yo' fold it an' den yo' turn it an' ag'in, an' put dat subpene in yore pocket an' heah's [here is where] yo' gotta go tuh co't. Now, when yo' go tuh co't, dey ain't goin' tuh call [you]. Instid [instead] of yo' done prosecutin' me, instid of callin' yo' up to de stan' [stand], dey call me. See. Dat's been in mah pocket. Now, when yo' git ready an' yo' goin' [to court], turn all de things in yore house upside down [for similar rites see later margin title UPSIDE DOWN.] Put chure underclothes an' things upside down [inside out] de pieces next to yore skin. Well, yo' go 'head [ahead] an' when yo' git up dere on de stand settin' down... Ah git up dere an' dey won' prosecute me, goin' discharge yo'. (Did you say something about putting a stocking in the house, or was that the other thing?) Ah'm comin' to it. Dat's de end of dat story [about the court]. [This is my only example of wiping the anus with the four corners of the subpoena and folding it and putting it in your pocket when leaving for court. We have here a remarkable remnant of witchcraft. The informant, evidently witchcrafted into court by an enemy, uses one of the oldest remedies in witchcraft - the human anus or excrement - see SCATOLOGIC METHODS TO REPULSE WITCHES, Folklore from Adams County Illinois, 2nd ed., pp.903-909, (4) HUMAN EXCREMENT, pp.905-909, Nos.16488- 16499.
Entry 9136
Well, ah tole 'im [author's contact man] in de case of bein' in trouble which ah had one experience of dat - cus [because] ah have been in trouble mah ownself - twice fo' murder[?] - an' ah've taken an' got some rattlesnake mastah, which ah wus tole tuh git dat, an' it wus sent tuh me an' put in cologne, wit some mustard seeds in it. An' tuh use dat cologne an' tuh wipe it ovah mah face about three days befo' mah trial, an' havin' dat mustard seed scattahed around, twelve mustard seeds around by de co'thouse. An' put twelve sage leaves in de bottom of yore shoes, six in each one, an' take an' write twelve names of de apostles on it. An' do dat all in three days, an' when yore trial come, it would not be anythin' tuh it.
(Well, now, where did you put those mustard seeds?)
Jes' scattah 'em anywhere roun' de co'thouse, anywhere round.
(Inside or out?)
Anywhere yo' wanta, outside right tuh de do', twelve of 'em.
Entry 10209
I hear'd about a woman taking a man's nature sure 'nough. After she menstr'ate two days, she'll take off dat piece, put dat piece down dere an' put it jes' in dat water and soak it. She takes a new linen han'ke'ch'ef and wash it. (A new red handkerchief.) No, linen. Linen, so it get soft. When he discharge, she ketch it on the han'ke'ch'ef. All right. She get bolt of dat noy and she put it in dat water to soak it, and she wring it out. And vring Lc dirty piece out and pour it in a bottle, and go down at lou water, lov tide, and when the tide is out, and put it in dere. When dat tide come in, she [tide] carries it with her, and the tide carry it out. No matter how many years, he's in for life. He's gone dere. (Is there any way he can get that off of him?) [There is no answer. It may have been lost.l
Entry 10224
Yo' take a dishcloth. An' when yo' have comnection wit him, yo' wipe him wit dat cloth an' put it ovah de front of de fo'. An' den he can't leave [or have] nobody aftah dat.
Entry 10226
If he has an inter- co'se wit his wife, she takes a dishrag an' cleans him off an' takes an' bury it in de fiahplace; takes an' bury it while it's damp any place, an' he can't have no interco'se wit no othah woman but her.
Entry 10229
Like you havin' to do with 'er an' she'll take a dishcloth an' she'll wipe you with de dishcloth. An' she'll take dat dishcloth an' she'll care it an' put it under her bed or under her pillah, see, an' yo' couldn't mess with a yoman to save your life. If dat man [or you] got sense now, he kin git rid of dat. Why, he go, if he wan'a git rid of it, he'll go an' steal...or yo' go [to] somebody house an' yo' steal de dishcloth, see. You go [got to] have sumpin to do with her, or any other woman, an' you'll wipe with dat dishcloth. An' yo' take dat dishcloth an' fold it right tight. An' he kin wear it with him or put it somewhere where nobody but him can reach it but him. An' she can't do nuthin with nobody but you.
Entry 10235
Yo' kin take a black hen's aig an' take a wet new cloth an' wipe dat aig, an' ball dat cloth up an' sew it in de pillah, an' dey said dat man can't go wit anothah woman to save his life; an' if he do, he can't come to save his life. Ah seen a man fixed fo' dat last week. (You mean sew that up in his pil- low?) In his pillah whut he sleep on evah night.
Entry 10238
An' den it's anothah one, see. Dis [first] woman, yo' know, loved dis man. Dis man, he wuz goin' wit a [second] woman. An' she [first woman] loved him yo' know, an' she wouldn't do nuthin [to stop himl. He would do dat. So [first woman] she says, "Well, he's good to me, "' says, ''but he goes out an' has a big time wit othah wimmin." Says, "Ah'm goin' stop dat." Okay. Dey goes to bed dat night an' dey got connection together, yo' know. Oh Lawd, she wus so good to him. Oh gee! An' dis an' dat an' so. An' so she says, "Wait a minute, honey, ah'll dry yo'." She take a new han'ke'ch'ef an' she dried him. When she dry him, she dry him lak dis - lak dis [demonstrates but not on body].
(Upward three times.)
Three times, yeah. An' de last time she'd jes' lak dat, yo' see. Stop dat rag [handkerchief] dere. "Oh, baby, it was so good, so nice. Oh Lawd." She stretches her lak dat. Mmmah. Dat [semen] caught in her han's, see. Threw it [new handkerchief] down [on the floor]. So she taken dat rag dat nex' mawnin' - she takes dat rag an' she sews it up in de pillah dere. An' he lay on dat ever' night fo' [until] nine mawnin's. An' de ninth mawnin' she takes dat out an' she puts it on another place. An' from dat day on, she could go off her- self, an' he nevah did have chance 'nuff to he himself do lak dat. An' when he do lak dat, it wuz her all de time. Jes' kept together.
Entry 10239
Keep a man from runnin' roun'. Well, now, yo' kin take a woman - jes' lak if she got a husban' an' he likes tuh run roun', why yo' [she] take dem bed rags dey use. Why she kin jes' take dat an' tie a knot in 'em after yo' [he] git through with it, an' jes' keep it up in de bed somewhere. Why he can't run out after no other woman but dem [her].
Entry 10240
New pocket handkerchief - woman wipes man - rolls up handkerchief to her [making long roll or cylinder, a phallic symbol] - ties into a hard knot - unties knot - unrolls hand- kerchief - spread it out flat and keeps it that way under bedtick - in middleways of bed [creating the fifth or center point among the four bedposts, making a quincunx]. [Bedtick is a spring- less mattress filled with dried moss, leaves, cornhusks, dried grass, all sorts of things. This impotence magic is my condensed transcription of long rite missed by transcriber.]
Entry 10251
Well, now jus' what one [woman] he be with. And the one what wants to stop him, well she'd get her a yard of brand-new yellow cotton [usually called homespun = unbleached cotton] and she'd take an' when they go to bed, and then they finish, well that's what she use. She use [wipes him with] that. And she have her piece of [white cotton] cord and she takes the measure [of his penis] and she puts nine knots in it, in each [this one] piece in the white cotton [cord]. Well, she keep the white [yellow] cotton [piece] up under her mattress and the cord with the nine knots in it, she wears it around her waist. And every time, if that's his wife, and he leave his wife to go to his lady friend, well there's nothing doing [with the other woman].
Entry 10256
And a woman can, like she got a man, you know, and he is going to another woman. Well, when she have him, she take a brand-new piece of cotton [cloth] and catch that, see, and she put 9 knots in it, an' jes' put a hole anywhere in the mattress and jes' stick it in the mattress.
Entry 10257
Well [into a cloth] you can take a man's stuff, and take it and make nine kmots in it [cloth] and take it and sew it up in east part of the - at least in the west part [of the bed]. And after you sew it up in there, jes' left [leave] it stay there. And if he's sleeping on the front part of that bed, it has a tendency to make him stay home, not to run around. Stop him from run- ning around. (Where do you sew that thing up? In? How?) Well, like this is - well, you put it right in here [points to bed in hotel room where I was interviewingl. Sew it up in this mattress, right in here.
(On the west side of the bed?)
Yeah, towards the east.
(Oh, you sew that on the east side of the bed?)
Yeah. [I did not explore this symbolism: east to rise with and west to set with sun. For this symbolism see No.10261.1
(I see, in the mattress?)
In the mattress. And that has a tendency to keep [him] from running around, quiets him down. [Wiping-cloth enclosed by 4 corners of bed makes a quincunx.]
Entry 11177
Yo' git devil's-shoe- string an' yo' cut it in three lengths in long strings. Yo' cut three pieces of it in three [long] lengths an' yo' git dat shoestring an' yo' go round a man's job an' chew dat shoestring an' spit all round, an' yo' could go to his steering wheel an' yo' spit some of de juice on yore han' an' wipe it on de steerin' wheel.
(The steering wheel of the boss' automobile.)
Entry 12278
Ah tell yo' whut chew kin do, yo' kin take a fo'k an' a knife an' wipe dat plate. Git chew a clean rag an' wipe dat plate, his plate, or his fo'k or her fo'k, an' let him eat out it aftah yo' wipe wit it, ev'ry mawnin' fo' 9 mawnin's. An' if he don' stay dere, he'll come tuh stay. (What do you wipe that plate with?) With a clean cloth. Yo' wipe yo'self in heah umndah yore arms, undah both arms, an' in heah, an' den yo' take an' wipe yore plate. An' always yo' wipe it tuh yo' [demonstrates].
(With a circular motion?)
Yassuh, wipe it tuh yo' lak dat. He'll come tuh yo' if he's not staying dere.
(You don't do anything with that knife and fork then?)
Nuthin but wipe it tuh yo', jes' when yo' wipe dat fo'k yo' wipe it dataway. An' yo' wipe it up. (You have to wipe the fork the same as the plate, to you? You wipe the plate and the knife and the fork?) Yassuh, wipe all three of 'em.
Entry 12286
Now, ah [woman] kin be wit a man, but ah kin be wit any man an' ah gi' him a cloth tuh wipe on, say, "Now, yo' jes' take dis cloth an' wipe on it." Now, ah ain't nevah com in' - 'scuse de 'pression [expression] but chew wants heah de truth on it. All right, say, "Heah, yo' wipe on dis." Well, he wipe on dat, or else ah'll wipe him on it mahself. Well, ah ain't nevah done nuthin. Dat jes' him done come off dere, ah ain't nevah done nuthin. Now, ah'm goin' keep dis. See. All right. Ah'm goin' keep dis. Ah'm goin' keep dis an' ah'm goin' tie it jes' lak ah needs tuh tie it, see. An' ah'm goin' use it jes' lak ah needs tuh use it, undahstan'. He don' know nuthin 'bout whut ah'm goin' do. Dat's jes' fo' a woman, see.
[Here I turn off machine too quickly and must repeat her lost words.]
(Put three knots in it?)
Three.
(After those three knots are in it, what do you do with them?)
Ah take dem three knots an' ah keep dem. Ah keep dem three knots fo' nine mawnin's. Ah lay on 'em fo' nine days, jes' lay on 'em if it's mah haid - jes' yherevah ah put 'em in de bed it's all right. Den he bound tuh come back. He bound tuh make love tuh me.