Mules and Men

by Zora Neale Hurston

  I have neglected to say that one or two of the dancers remained upon the floor “in the spirit” after their dance and had to be lifted up and revived at the end.

  Death had some of all the food placed before him. An uncorked pint of good whiskey was right under his nose. He was paid fifteen cents and remained on his throne until one o’clock that night. Then all of the food before him was taken up with the tablecloth on which it rested and was thrown into the Mississippi River.

  The person danced upon is not supposed to live more than nine days after the dance. I was very eager to see what would happen in this case. But five days after the dance John Doe deserted his bride for the comforting arms of Rachael and she hurried to Mother Kitty to have the spell removed. She said he complained of breast pains and she was fearfully afraid for him. So I was sent to get the beef heart out of the cemetery (which had been put there as of the routine), and John and Rachael made use of the new furniture bought for his bride. I think he feared that Rachael might have him fixed, so he probably fled to her as soon as the zest for a new wife had abated.

  Kitty began by teaching me various ways of bringing back a man or woman who had left his or her mate. She had plenty to work on, too. In love cases the client is often told what to do at home. Minnie Foster was the best customer Kitty had. She wanted something for every little failing in her lover. Kitty said to her one day, “You must be skeered of yourself with that man of yours.”

  “No, Ma’am, I ain’t. But I love him and I just want to make sure. Just you give me something to make his love more stronger.”

  “Alright, Minnie, I’ll do it, but you ain’t got no reason to be so unsettled with me behind you. Do like I say and you’ll be alright.

  “Use six red candles. Stick sixty pins in each candle—thirty on each side. Write the name of your sweetheart three times on a small square of paper and stick it underneath the candle. Burn one of these prepared candles each night for six nights. Make six slips of paper and write the name of the loved one once on each slip. Then put a pin in the paper on all four sides of the name. Each morning take up the sixty pins left from the burning of the candles, and save them. Then smoke the slip of paper with the four pins in it in incense smoke and bury it with the pins under your door step. The piece of paper with the name written on it three times, upon which each candle stands while burning, must be kept each day until the last candle is burned. Then bury it in the same hole with the rest. When you are sticking the pins in the candles, keep repeating: ‘Tumba Walla, Bumba Walla, bring Gabe Staggers back to me.’”

  Minnie paid her five dollars, thanked her loudly and hurried off to tighten the love-shackles on her Gabriel. But the following week she was back again.

  “Ain’t you got dat man to you wishes, yet, Minnie?” Kitty asked, half in fun and half in impatience.

  “He love me, I b’lieve, but he gone off to Mobile with a construction gang and I got skeered he might not come back. Something might delay him on his trip.”

  “Oh, alright Minnie, go do like I say and he’ll sure be back. Write the name of the absent party six times on paper. Put the paper in a water glass with two tablespoons full of quicksilver on it. Write his or her name three times each on six candles and burn one on a window sill in the daytime for six days.”

  Minnie paid and went home, but a week later she was back, washed down in tears. So Kitty gave her a stronger help.

  “This is bound to bring him. Can’t help it, Minnie. Now go home and stop fretting and do this:

  “Write his name three times. Dig a hole in the ground. Get a left-foot soiled-sock from him secretly. His hatband may be used also. Put the paper with the name in the hole first. Then the sock or hatband. Then light a red candle on top of it all and burn it. Put a spray of Sweet Basil in a glass of water beside the candle. Light the candle at noon and burn until one. Light it again at six P.M. and burn till seven. (Always pinch out a candle—never blow it.) After the candle is lit, turn a barrel over the hole. When you get it in place, knock on it three times to call the spirit and say: ‘Tumba Walla, Bumba Walla, bring Gabriel Staggers home to me.’”

  We saw nothing of Minnie for six weeks, then she came in another storm of tears.

  “Miss Kitty, Gabriel done got to de place I can’t tell him his eye is black. What can I do to rule de man I love?”

  “Do like I say, honey, and you can rule. Get his sock. Take one silver dime, some hair from his head or his hatband. Lay the sock out on a table, bottom up. Write his name three times and put it on the sock. Place the dime on the name and the hair or hatband on the dime. Put a piece of ‘he’ Lodestone2 on top of the hair and sprinkle it with steel dust. As you do this, say, ‘Feed the he, feed the she.’ That is what you call feeding the Lodestone. Then fold the sock heel on the toe and roll it all up together, tight. Pin the bundle by crossing two needles. Then wet it with whiskey and set it up over a door. And don’t ’low him to go off no more, do you going to lose all control.

  “Now listen, honey, this is the way to change a man’s mind about going away: Take the left shoe, set it up straight, then roll it one-half over first to the right, then to the left. Roll it to a coming-in door and point it straight in the door, and he can’t leave. Hatband or sock can be made into a ball and rolled the same way: but it must be put under the sill or over the door.”

  Once Sis Cat got hongry and caught herself a rat and set herself down to eat ’im. Rat tried and tried to git loose but Sis Cat was too fast and strong. So jus’ as de cat started to eat ’im he says, “Hol’ on dere, Sis Cat! Ain’t you got no manners atall? You going set up to de table and eat ’thout washing yo’ face and hands?”

  Sis Cat was mighty hongry but she hate for de rat to think she ain’t got no manners, so she went to de water and washed her face and hands and when she got back de rat was gone.

  So de cat caught herself a rat again and set down to eat. So de Rat said, “Where’s yo’ manners at, Sis Cat? You going to eat ’thout washing yo’ face and hands?”

  “Oh, Ah got plenty manners,” de cat told ’im. “But Ah eats mah dinner and washes mah face and uses mah manners afterwards.” So she et right on ’im and washed her face and hands. And cat’s been washin’ after eatin’ ever since.

  I’m sitting here like Sis Cat, washing my face and usin’ my manners.

  GLOSSARY

  Jack or John (not John Henry) is the great human culture hero in Negro folklore. He is like Daniel in Jewish folklore, the wish-fulfillment hero of the race. The one who, nevertheless, or in spite of laughter, usually defeats Ole Massa, God and the Devil. Even when Massa seems to have him in a hopeless dilemma he wins out by a trick. Brer Rabbit, Jack (or John) and the Devil are continuations of the same thing. p. 9

  Woofing is a sort of aimless talking. A man half seriously flirts with a girl, half seriously threatens to fight or brags of his prowess in love, battle or in financial matters. The term comes from the purposeless barking of dogs at night. p. 13

  Testimony. There is a meeting called a “love-feast” in the Methodist Church and an “experience meeting” with the Baptists. It is held once a month, either on a week-night or a Sunday morning preceding the Communion service. It is a Protestant confessional. No one is supposed to take communion unless he is on good terms with all of the other church members and is free from sin otherwise. The love-feast gives opportunity for public expression of good-will to the world. There are three set forms with variations. (1) The person who expects to testify raises a hymn. After a verse or two he or she speaks expressing (a) love for everybody, (b) joy at being present, (c) tells of the determination to stay in the field to the end. (2) Singing of a “hot” spiritual, giving the right hand of fellowship to the entire church, a shouting, tearful finish. (3) (a) Expresses joy at being present, (b) recites incident of conversion, telling in detail the visions seen and voices heard, (c) expresses determination to hold out to the end. p. 20

  It is singular that God never finds fault, never censures the
Negro. He sees faults but expects nothing different. He is lacking in bitterness as is the Negro story-teller himself in circumstances that ordinarily would call for pity. p. 29

  The devil is not the terror that he is in European folk-lore. He is a powerful trickster who often competes successfully with God. There is a strong suspicion that the devil is an extension of the story-makers while God is the supposedly impregnable white masters, who are nevertheless defeated by the Negroes. p. 48

  John Henry. This is a song of the railroad camps and is suited to the spiking rhythm, though it is, like all the other work songs, sung in the jooks and other social places. It is not a very old song, being younger by far than Casey Jones and like that song being the celebration of an incidence of bravery. John Henry is not as widely distributed as “Mule on de Mount,” “Uncle Bud” or several of the older songs, though it has a better air than most of the work songs. John Henry has no place in Negro folk-lore except in this one circumstance. The story told in the ballad is of John Henry, who is a great steel-driver, growing jealous when the company installs a steam drill. He boasts that he can beat the steam drill hammering home spikes, and asks his boss for a 9-pound hammer saying that if he has a good hammer he can beat the steam drill driving. The hammer is provided and he attempts to beat the drill. He does so for nearly an hour, then his heart fails him and he drops dead from exhaustion. It is told in direct dialogue for the greater part. The last three verses show internal evidence of being interpolated from English ballads. Judge the comparative newness of the song by the fact that he is competing with something as recent as a steam drill. For music for “John Henry” see Appendix. p. 55

  Long House. Another name for jook. Sometimes means a mere bawdy house. A long low building cut into rooms that all open on a common porch. A woman lives in each of the rooms. p. 67

  Blue Baby. Nicknames such as this one given from appearances or acts, i.e. “Blue Baby” was so black he looked blue. “Tush Hawg,” a rough man; full of fight like a wild boar. p. 68

  One notes that among the animals the rabbit is the trickster hero. Lacking in size, strength and natural weapons such as teeth and claws, he continues to overcome by cunning. There are other minor characters that are heroic, but Brer Rabbit is first. In Florida, Brer Gopher, the dry-land tortoise, is also a hero and perhaps nearly equal to the rabbit. p. 109

  The colored preacher, in his cooler passages, strives for grammatical correctness, but goes natural when he warms up. The “hah” is a breathing device, done rhythmically to punctuate the lines. The congregation wants to hear the preacher breathing or “straining.” p. 139

  Georgia Skin Game. Any number of “Pikers” can play at a time, but there are two “principals” who do the dealing. Both of them are not dealing at the same time, however. But when the first one who deals “falls” the other principal takes the deal. If he in turn falls it goes back to the first dealer. The principals draw the first two cards. The pikers draw from the third card on. Unless a player or players want to “scoop one in the rough,” he can choose his own card which can be any card in the deck except the card on top of the deck and that one goes to the dealer. The dealer charges anything he pleases for the privilege of “scooping,” the money being put in sight. It is the player’s bet. After the ones who wish to have scooped, then the dealer begins to “turn” the cards. That is, flipping them off the deck face upwards and the pikers choose a card each from among those turned off to bet on. Sometimes several pikers are on the same card. When all have selected their cards and have their bets down, they begin to chant “Turn ’em” to the dealer. He turns them until a player falls. That is, a card like the one he is holding falls. For instance one holds the 10 of hearts. When another 10 falls he loses. Then the players cry “hold ’em” until the player selects another clean card, one that has not fallen. The fresh side bets are down and the chant “turn ’em” and the singing “Let de deal go Down” until the deck is run out. p. 143

  APPENDIX

  I NEGRO SONGS WITH MUSIC

  JOHN HENRY

  1 John Henry driving on the right hand side,

  Steam drill driving on the left,

  Says, ’fore I’ll let your steam drill beat me down

  I’ll hammer my fool self to death,

  Hammer my fool self to death.

  2 John Henry told his Captain,

  When you go to town

  Please bring me back a nine pound hammer

  And I’ll drive your steel on down.

  And I’ll drive your steel on down.

  3 John Henry told his Captain,

  Man ain’t nothing but a man,

  And ’fore I’ll let that steam drill beat me down

  I’ll die with this hammer in my hand,

  Die with this hammer in my hand.

  4 Captain ast John Henry,

  What is that storm I hear?

  He says Cap’n that ain’t no storm,

  ’Tain’t nothing but my hammer in the air,

  Nothing but my hammer in the air.

  5 John Henry told his Captain,

  Bury me under the sills of the floor,

  So when they get to playing good old Georgy skin,

  Bet ’em fifty to a dollar more,

  Fifty to a dollar more.

  6 John Henry had a little woman,

  The dress she wore was red,

  Says I’m going down the track,

  And she never looked back.

  I’m going where John Henry fell dead,

  Going where John Henry fell dead.

  7 Who’s going to shoe your pretty li’l’ feet?

  And who’s going to glove your hand?

  Who’s going to kiss your dimpled cheek?

  And who’s going to be your man?

  Who’s going to be your man?

  8 My father’s going to shoe my pretty li’l’ feet;

  My brother’s going to glove my hand;

  My sister’s going to kiss my dimpled cheek;

  John Henry’s going to be my man,

  John Henry’s going to be my man.

  9 Where did you get your pretty li’l’ dress?

  The shoes you wear so fine?

  I got my shoes from a railroad man,

  My dress from a man in the mine,

  My dress from a man in the mine.

  JOHN HENRY

  (Work Song Series)

  From the Zora Neale Hurston

  Arranged by C. Spencer Tocus

  Collection of Negro Folklore

  EAST COAST BLUES

  1 Don’t you hear that East Coast when she blows,

  Oh, don’t you hear that East Coast when she blows,

  Ah, don’t you hear that East Coast when she blows.

  2 I’m going down that long lonesome road,

  Oh, I’m going down that long lonesome road,

  Ah, I’m going down that long lonesome road.

  3 I’m going where the chilly winds don’t blow,

  Oh, I’m going where the chilly winds don’t blow,

  Ah, I’m going where the chilly winds don’t blow.

  4 You treat me mean you sho going see it again,

  Oh, you treat me mean you sho going see it again,

  Ah, you treat me mean you sho going see it again.

  5 I love you honey but your woman got me barred,

  Oh, I love you honey but your woman got me barred,

  Ah, I love you honey but your woman got me barred.

  6 Love ain’t nothing but the easy going heart disease,

  Oh, love ain’t nothing but the easy going heart disease,

  Ah, love ain’t nothing but the easy going heart disease.

  EAST COAST BLUES

  (Social Song Series)

  PLEASE DON’T DRIVE ME

  (Convict Song)

  From the Zora Neale Hurston

  Arranged by Porter Grainger

  Collection of Negro Folklore

  1 Please don’t drive me because I’m blind,

&
nbsp; B’lieve I kin make it if I take my time.

  2 Lift up de hammer and let it fall down,

  It’s a hard rocky bottom and it must be found.

  3 De cap’n say hurry, de boss say run,

  I got a damn good notion not to do nary one.

  1 Cold rainy day, some old cold, rainy day,

  I’ll be back some old cold, rainy day.

  2 All I want is my railroad fare,

  Take me back where I was born.

  3 Ole Smoky Joe, Lawd, he died on the road

  Saying I’ll be back some day.

  4 Oh, the rocks may be my pillow

  Lawd, the sand may be my bed,

  I’ll be back some old cold, rainy day.

  GOING TO SEE MY LONG-HAIRED BABE

  SOLOIST:

  Oh Lulu! Oh Gal!

  Want to see you, so bad.

  CHORUS:

  Going to see my long-haired babe;

  Going to see my long-haired babe,

  Oh Lawd I’m going ’cross the water

  See my long-haired babe.

  SOLOIST:

  What you reckon Mr. Treadwell

  Said to Mr. Goff,

  Lawd I b’lieve I’ll go South,

  Pay them poor boys off.

  CHORUS:

  SOLOIST: