Page:Transactions of the Second International Folk-Congress.djvu/270

 232 and round, so as to have them fall east, south, west, and north. What dreams you have during the nine days are warnings, consequently you must carefully consider the "sign" of them. For instance, if you dream of fire you will have trouble in getting your witch education. If you dream of honey bees you will be a successful conjurer (Dorcas never said "Voodoo"), and receive money and presents. As soon as your leaves are scattered you are ready for lessons. In passing, it may be as well to state that the more leaves there are in your weed, the more exalted will be your rank in sorcery.

After the numbers are learned, a season is given to acquiring knowledge of the value of certain vegetable remedies and poisons, such as snake root, smart weed, red clover, mullein, deadly night- shade, Indian turnip or "Cunjor John", mayapple, etc., together with the proper times (all times are regulated by the moon) of gathering and administering the same. There is nothing mysterious in this much of the profession: any old woman who has an herb-bag has the same simples as a witch, and plants that which is to grow mostly under ground in the dark of the moon, that which is to go to leaves and blossoms when the moon is waxing; gathers all beneficent things when the moon is full, the same as she does.

Afterwards it is imparted that charms and tricks are of four degrees. To the first degree belong the good tricks which are hardest to perform, because it is always harder to do good than evil. Of this class are "luck balls", "jacks", and other fetiches prepared and then endowed with a "familiar or attendant spirit in the name of the Lord" For this class the formulas all begin, "The God before me, God behind me, God be with me." John Palmer said "THE God" always. Alexander said it sometimes. All close with, " I ask it in the name of the Lord or God."

Here is a complete formula as I took it from the lips of the Great Alexander when he was preparing a luck-ball for Mr. Charles G. Leland:

"The God before me, God behind me, God be with me. May this ball bring all good luck to Charles Leland. May it bind down all devils, may it bind down his enemies before him, may it bring them under his feet. May it bring him friends in plenty, may it bring him faithful friends, may it bind them to him. May