Page ô
Polk Lore: Polk Tales


our conjure man, he tole paw dat de nex time de mari come an‘ set down by his bed, fer him to raise up on his lef elbow and rech down by his bed ~nd take dat piece o‘ ~rapevine and hit de ni~ger over de head and face. Den atter he had done dat, our conjure man lowed dat paw could den rise ~p from his bed o‘ rheuniatiz.

	“It wont long before de nigger come to visit my paw. iîiy ‚aw, he axed him real nice like to have a seat. Hi~. maw had done put a chair by de bed, so dat he would setdown wid his face toward paw. Atter he and paw ~ot to talkin; paw recheddown an‘ axed him to have a look at de grapevine da~t he was gwine to smoke fer his ailment. Dat ni~er, he lowed to my paw dat it wuz not a goin to~ d~o his rheumatiz no good. Jus as he lowed dat, paw, he riz up on his lei‘ shoulder and elbow and wid his ri~hthan he let loose and come down over dat ni~er‘s Lace and rorehead wid dat grapevine. Dat nigger, he jump up and run out o‘ dat house a hollerin‘ kaise he knowed dat paw and done got de spell ofliri him. My paw ~ot up de neit cay and dey lows dat he riebber did have no mo‘ rheumatiz.“


SOURCE:	Saille Layto~i Keenari (N. 80 yrs. old) 20 Calhoun St., Union, S.C. Interviewer: Caidwell Sims. (12/14/36)