Page:Transactions of the Second International Folk-Congress.djvu/273

 babes and frog-legs—this last component being especially necessary, because in the old time the devil made the moon to illuminate the night for the convenience of his votaries. As the Good Man had used up all the material of the universe in his creations, the devil or Bad Man took a frog, skinned it, and made it into a moon.

To the third class belong all that pertains to the body, such as nails, teeth, hair, saliva, tears, perspiration, dandruff, scabs of sores even, and garments worn next the person. These are used in conjurations and charms for good or ill, not alone, but with other things. I will illustrate their use by a story told me by Alexander. He said, "I could save or ruin you if I could get hold of so much as one eye-winker or the peeling of one freckle." Then he went on to make his meaning clear by giving a scrap of biography.

Just before the civil war, in the days when he was a slave, he lived for a short time in Southern Missouri, "nigh de big ribber." He had an enemy, a conjurer also. The enemy affected friendship, invited him to his cabin, and offered him refreshments, of which Alexander refused to partake. "Dar wuz spiders in de dumplins and hell in de cakes," he explained, "and I dassent eat 'em, but I 'greed ter stay all night."

Both men lay down on a bed on the floor. The guest pretended to fall asleep. Presently the host cautiously raised himself up and peeped into the face of the other, to see if he was asleep, There was bright firelight in the room, cast from the great open fireplace where many dry logs were burning. Alexander breathed heavily, and, as he said, held his face like a stone, though he was watching through a crack in his eyelids. The host reached a pair of scissors towards the sleeper's head. Alexander stretched out his hand and struck down the advancing arm, at the same time muttering a curse upon the musquitoes.

Both lay quiet for a while, then the scene was re-enacted. Again and again this was repeated, and all this time each man was willing with all the strength that was in him that the other should sleep. Finally Alexander prevailed. "I'd been a cunjurer longer than he had, and my will was made up strong," said the victor.

While his host slept, Alexander arose, took his (the host's shoes) and scraped the inside of the soles—they had been worn without stockings. Then he took the man's coat and scraped the collar