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NEWORLEANS

SUPERSTITIONS

byLafcadioHearn

fromAnAmericanmiscellany,vol.II,(1924)

originallypublishedinHarper'sweekly,1886-dec-25

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NEWORLEANS

SUPERSTITIONS

byLafcadioHearn

fromAnAmericanmiscellany,vol.II,(1924)

originallypublishedinHarper'sweekly,1886-dec-25

I

Thequestion"WhatisVoudooism?"couldscarcelybeansweredto-dayby
anyresidentofNewOrleansunfamiliarwiththelifeoftheAfricanwest
coast,orthesuperstitionsofHayti,eitherthroughstudyorpersonal
observation.TheoldgenerationofplantersinwhosedayVoudooismhada
recognizedexistence--sodangerousasamotivepowerforblackinsurrection
thatseveremeasureswereadoptedagainstit--haspassedaway;andtheonly
personIevermetwhohad,asachildinhiscolorednurse'scare,therare
experienceofwitnessingaVoudooceremonial,diedsomethreeyearsago,at
theadvancedageofseventy-six.Asareligion--animportedfaith--Voudooism
inLouisianaisreallydead;theritesofitsserpentworshipareforgotten;the
meaningofitsstrangeandfrenziedchants,whereofsomefragmentslingeras
refrainsinnegrosong,isnotnowknowneventothosewhorememberthe
words;andthestoryofitsformerexistenceisonlyrevealedtothefolklorists
bythemultitudinousdébrisofAfricansuperstitionwhichithasleftbehindit.
TheseonlyIproposetoconsidernow;forwhatisto-daycalledVoudooismin
NewOrleansmeans,notanAfricancultus,butacuriousclassofnegro
practices,somepossiblyderivedfromit,andotherswhichbearresemblance
tothemagicoftheMiddleAges.Whatcouldbemoremediæval,forinstance,
thanmoldingawaxenheart,andstickingpinsinit,ormeltingitslowly
beforeafire,whilecharmsarebeingrepeatedwiththehopethatasthewaxen
heartmeltsorbreaks,thelifeofsomeenemywilldepart?What,again,could
remindusmoreofthirteenth-centurysuperstitionthantheburningofacertain
numberoftaperstocompelsomeabsentperson'sreturn,withtheideathat
beforethelasttaperisconsumedamysteriousmesmerismwillforcethe

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wanderertocrossriversandmountainsifnecessaryonhisorherwayback?

Thefearofwhatarestyled"Voudoocharms"ismuchmorewidelyspreadin
Louisianathananyonewhohadconversedonlywitheducatedresidents
mightsuppose;andthemostfamiliarsuperstitionofthisclassisthebeliefin
whatImightcallpillowmagic,whichisthesupposedartofcausingwasting
sicknessesorevendeathbyputtingcertainobjectsintothepillowofthebed
inwhichthehatedpersonsleeps.Featherpillowsaresupposedtobe
particularlywelladaptedtothiskindofwitchcraft.Itisbelievedthatbysecret
spellsa"Voudoo"cancausesomemonstrouskindofbirdornondescript
animaltoshapeitselfintobeingoutofthepillowfeathers--likethetupilekof
theEsquimauiliseenek(witchcraft.)Itgrowsveryslowly,andbynightonly;
butwhencompletelyformed,thepersonwhohasbeenusingthepillowdies.
Anotherpracticeofpillowwitchcraftconsistsintearingalivingbirdasunder-
-usuallyacock--andputtingportionsofthewingsintothepillow.Athird
formoftheblack-artisconfinedtoputtingcertaincharmsorfetiches--
consistingofbones,hair,feathers,rags,strings,orsomefantasticcombination
oftheseandothertriflingobjects--intoanysortofapillowusedbytheparty
whomitisdesiredtoinjure.ThepureAfricanismofthispracticeneedsno
comment.Anyexactideaconcerningtheuseofeachparticularkindofcharm
Ihavenotbeenabletodiscover;andIdoubtwhetherthosewhopractisesuch
fetichismknowtheoriginalAfricanbeliefsconnectedwithit.Somesaythat
puttinggrainsofcornintoachild'spillow"preventsitfromgrowingany
more";othersdeclarethatabitofclothinagrownperson'spillowwillcause
wastingsickness;butdifferentpartiesquestionedbymegaveeachadifferent
significationtotheuseofsimilarcharms.Puttinganopenpairofscissors
underthepillowbeforegoingtobedissupposedtoinsureapleasantsleepin
spiteoffetiches;butthesurestwaytoprovideagainstbeing"hoodooed,"as
Americanresidentscallit,istoopenone'spillowfromtimetotime.Ifany
charmsarefound,theymustbefirstsprinkledwithsalt,thenburned.A
Spanishresidenttoldmethathereldestdaughterhadbeenunabletosleepfor
weeks,owingtoafetichthathadbeenputintoherpillowbyaspiteful
coloreddomestic.Aftertheobjecthadbeendulyexorcisedandburned,allthe
younglady'srestlessnessdeparted.Afriendofminelivinginoneofthe
countryparishesoncefoundatowstringinhispillow,intothefibersofwhich
agreatnumberoffeatherstemshadeitherbeenintroducedorhadintroduced
themselves.Hewishedtoretainitasacuriosity,butnosoonerdidheexhibit
ittosomeacquaintancethanitwasdenouncedasaVoudoo"trick,"andmy
friendwasactuallycompelledtoburnitinthepresenceofwitnesses.
Everybodyknowsoroughttoknowthatfeathersinpillowshaveanatural

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tendencytoclingandformclotsorlumpsofmoreorlesscuriousform,but
thediscoveryoftheseinsomeNewOrleanshouseholdsisenoughtocreatea
panic.TheyareviewedasincipientVoudootupileks.Thesignofthecrossis
madeoverthembyCatholics,andtheyarepromptlycommittedtotheflames.

Pillowmagicalone,however,isfarfrombeingtheonlyrecognizedformof
maleficentnegrowitchcraft.Placingcharmsbeforetheentranceofahouseor
room,orthrowingthemoverawallintoayard,isbelievedtobeadeadly
practice.Whenacharmislaidbeforearoomdoororhalldoor,oilisoften
pouredonthefloororpavementinfrontofthethreshold.Itissupposedthat
whoevercrossesanoillinefallsintothepoweroftheVoudoos.Tobreakthe
oilcharm,sandorsaltshouldbestrewnuponit.Onlyafewdaysbefore
writingthisarticleaveryintelligentSpaniardtoldmethatshortlyafterhaving
dischargedadishonestcoloredservanthefoundbeforehisbedroomdoorone
eveningapoolofoilwithacharmLyinginthemiddleofit,andacandle
burningnearit.Thecharmcontainedsomebones,feathers,hairs,andrags--
allwrappedtogetherwithastring--andadime.Nosuperstitiouspersonwould
havedaredtousethatdime;butmyfriend,notbeingsuperstitious,forthwith
putitintohispocket.

ThepresenceofthatcoinIcanonlyattempttoexplainbycallingattentionto
anotherveryinterestingsuperstitionconnectedwithNewOrleansfetichism.
Thenegroesbelievethatinordertomakeanevilcharmoperateitis
necessarytosacrificesomething.Wineandcakeareleftoccasionallyindark
rooms,orcandiesarescatteredoverthesidewalk,bythosewhowanttomake
theirfetichhurtsomebody.Iffoodorsweetmeatsarethusthrownaway,they
mustbeabandonedwithoutapartingglance;thewitchorwizardmustnot
lookbackwhileengagedinthesacrifice.

Scatteringdirtbeforeadoor,ormakingcertainfiguresonthewallofa
housewithchalk,orcrumblingdryleaveswiththefingersandscatteringthe
fragmentsbeforearesidence,arealsoformsofamaleficentconjuringwhich
sometimescauseseriousannoyance.Happilytheconjurersarealmostas
afraidofthecounter-charmsasthemostsuperstitiouspersonsareofthe
conjuring.Anincidentwhichoccurredrecentlyinoneofthestreetsoftheold
quarterknownas"SpanishTown"affordedmeocularproofofthefact.
Throughmaliceorthoughtlessness,orpossiblyinobediencetosecretorders,

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ayoungnegrogirlhadbeentearingupsomeleavesandscatteringthemon
thesidewalkinfrontofacottageoccupiedbyaFrenchfamily.Justasshehad
droppedthelastleaftheirateFrenchwomanrushedoutwithabroomanda
handfulofsalt,andbegantosweepawaytheleaves,afterhavingflungsalt
bothuponthemanduponthelittlenegress.Thelatteractuallyscreamedwith
fright,andcriedout,"Oh,pasjetéplisdiselaprèsmoin,madame!pasbisoin
jetédiselaprèsmoin;mopaspéviniiciteencore"(Oh,madam,don'tthrow
anymoresaltafterme;youneedn'tthrowanymoresaltafterme;Iwon't
comehereanymore.)

Anotherstrangebeliefconnectedwiththesepracticeswaswellillustratedby
agiftmadetomyfriendProfessorWilliamHenrybyanegroservantfor
whomhehaddonesometriflingfavor.Thegiftconsistedofa"frizzlyhen"--
oneofthosefunnylittlefowlswhosefeathersallseemtocurl."Mars'rHenry,
youkeepdatfrizzlyhen,an'efenyniggersfrowenyconjureinyouryard,dat
frizzlyhenwilleatdeconjure."Somesay,however,thatoneisnotsafeunless
hekeepstwofrizzlyhens.

Thenaughtylittlenegressatwhomthesaltwasthrownseemedtofearthe
saltmorethanthebroompointedather.Butshewasnotyetfullyeducated,I
suspect,inregardtosuperstitions.Thenegro'sterrorofabroomisofvery
ancientdate--itmayhaveanAfricanorigin.Itwascommenteduponby
MoreaudeSaint-MéryinhisworkonSanDomingo,publishedin1196.
"Whatespeciallyirritatesthenegro,"hewrote,"istohaveabroompassed
overanypartofhisbody.Heasksatoncewhetherthepersonimaginedthat
hewasdead,andremainsconvincedthattheactshortenshislife."Very
similarideasconcerningthebroomlingerinNewOrleans.Topointeitherend
ofabroomatapersonisdeemedbadluck;andmanyanignorantmanwould
instantlyknockdownorviolentlyabusethepartywhoshouldpointabroom
athim.Moreover,thebroomissupposedtohavemysteriouspowerasa
meansofgettingridofpeople."Ifyouarepesteredbyvisitorswhomyou
wouldwishnevertoseeagain,sprinklesaltontheflooraftertheygo,and
sweepitoutbythesamedoorthroughwhichtheyhavegone,andtheywill
nevercomeback."Touseabroomintheeveningisbadluck:balayerlesoir,
onbalayesafortune(tosweepintheeveningistosweepyourgoodluck
away),remainsawell-quotedproverb.

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Idonotknowofamoremysteriousdiseasethanmuscularatrophyincertain
forms,yetitisbynomeansuncommoneitherinNewOrleansorintheother
leadingcitiesoftheUnitedStates.ButinNewOrleans,amongthecolored
people,andamongmanyoftheuneducatedofotherraces,thevictimof
muscularatrophyisbelievedtobethevictimofVoudooism.Anotionis
prevalentthatnegrowitchespossessknowledgeofasecretpoisonwhichmay
terminatelifeinstantlyorcauseaslow"witheringaway,"accordingasthe
doseisadministered.AFrenchmanundertreatmentforparalysisinformedme
thathismisfortunewascertainlytheworkofVoudoos,andthathiswifeand
childhaddiedthroughthesecretagencyofnegrowizards.Mentalaberration
isalsosaidtobecausedbytheadministrationofpoisonswhereofsomefew
negroesareallegedtopossessthesecret.Inshort,someverysuperstitious
personsofbothracesliveinperpetualdreadofimaginaryVoudoos,andfancy
thattheleastailmentfromwhichtheysufferistheworkofsorcery.Itisvery
doubtfulwhetheranyknowledgeofthoseanimalorvegetablepoisonswhich
leavenotraceoftheirpresenceintheblood,andwhichmayhavebeenknown
tosomeslavesofAfricanbirth,stilllingersinLouisiana,wide-spreadasis
thebelieftothecontrary.Duringthelastdecadetherehavebeenafew
convictionsofblacksforthecrimeofpoisoning,buttherewasnothingatall
mysteriousorpeculiaraboutthesecases,andthetoxicagentwasinvariably
themostvulgarofall--arsenic,orsomearseniouspreparationintheshapeof
ratpoison.

II

Thestoryofthefrizzlyhenbringsmetothesubjectofsuperstitions
regardinganimals.SomethingoftheAfrican,oratleastoftheSanDomingan,
worshipofthecockseemstohavebeentransplantedhitherbytheblacks,and
tolingerinNewOrleansundervariousmetamorphoses.Anegrocharmto
retaintheaffectionsofaloverconsistsintyingupthelegsofthebirdtothe
head,andplungingthecreaturealiveintoavesselofginorotherspirits.
Tearingthelivebirdasunderisanothercruelcharm,bywhichsomenegroes
believethatasweetheartmaybecomemagicallyfetteredtothemanwho
performsthequartering.Here,asinotherpartsoftheworld,thecrowinghen
iskilled,thehootingoftheowlpresagesdeathorbadluck,andthecrowing
ofthecockbydaypresagesthearrivalofcompany.Thewren(roitelet)must
notbekilled:c'estzozeaubonDié(itisthegoodGod'sbird)--abelief,Ithink,
ofEuropeanorigin.

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Itisdangeroustothrowhair-combingsawayinsteadofburningthem,
becausebirdsmayweavethemintotheirnestsandwhilethenestremainsthe
persontowhomthehairbelongedwillhaveacontinualheadache.Itisbad
lucktomoveacatfromonehousetoanother;sevenyears'badlucktokilla
cat;andthegirlwhosteps,accidentallyorotherwise,onacat'stailneednot
expecttobemarriedthesameyear.Theapparitionofawhitebutterflymeans
goodnews.Theneighingofahorsebeforeone'sdoorisbadluck.Whenafly
bothersoneverypersistently,onemayexpecttomeetanacquaintancewho
hasbeenabsentmanyyears.

Therearemanysuperstitionsaboutmarriage,whichseemtohavea
Europeanorigin,butarenotlessinterestingonthataccount."Twicea
bridesmaid,neverabride,"isaproverbwhichneedsnocomment.Thebride
mustnotkeepthepinswhichfastenedherweddingdress.Thehusbandmust
nevertakeoffhisweddingring:totakeitoffwillinsurehimbadluckofsome
kind.Ifagirlwhoisengagedaccidentallyletsaknifefall,itisasignthather
loveriscoming.Fairorfoulweatheruponhermarriagedayaugursahappyor
unhappymarriedlife.

Thesuperstitionsconnectedwithdeathmaybeallimported,butIhavenever
beenabletofindaforeignoriginforsomeofthem.Itisbadlucktowhistleor
humtheairthatabandplaysatafuneral.Ifafuneralstopsbeforeyourhouse,
itmeansthatthedeadwantscompany.Itisbadlucktocrossafuneral
procession,ortocountthenumberofcarriagesinit;ifyoudocountthem,
youmayexpecttodieaftertheexpirationofasmanyweeksastherewere
carriagesatthefuneral.Ifatthecemeterytherebeanyunusualdelayin
buryingthedead,causedbyanyunlookedforcircumstances,suchasthe
tombprovingtoosmalltoadmitthecoffin,itisasignthatthedeceasedis
selectingacompanionfromamongthosepresent,andoneofthemourners
mustsoondie.Itisbadlucktocarryaspadethroughahouse.Abedshould
neverbeplacedwithitsfootpointingtowardthestreetdoor,forcorpsesleave
thehousefeetforemost.Itisbadlucktotravelwithapriest;thisideaseems
tomeofSpanishimportation;andIaminclinedtoattributeasimilaroriginto
thestrangetropicalsuperstitionaboutthebanana,whichIobtained,
nevertheless,fromanItalian.Youmustnotcutabanana,butsimplybreakit
withthefingers,becauseincuttingityoucutthecross.Itdoesnotrequirea

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verypowerfulimaginationtodiscerninaseveredsectionofthefruitthe
ghostlysuggestionofacrucifixion.

Someothercreolesuperstitionsareequallycharacterizedbynaïvebeauty.
Neverputoutwithyourfingerthelittleredsparkthattriestolingeronthe
wickofablown-outcandle:justsolongasitburns,somesoulinpurgatory
enjoysrestfromtorment.Shooting-starsaresoulsescapingfrompurgatory:if
youcanmakeagoodwishthreetimesbeforethestardisappears,thewish
willbegranted.Whenthereissunshineandraintogether,acolorednursewill
tellthechildren,"Gadé!djabeapébattesofemme."(Look!thedevil'sbeating
hiswife!)

Iwillconcludethislittlepaperwithselectionsfromalistofsuperstitions
whichIfindwidelyspread,notcitingthemasofindubitablecreoleorigin,but
simplycallingattentiontotheirprevalenceinNewOrleans,andleavingthe
comparativestudyofthemtofolklorists.

Turningthefootsuddenlyinwalkingmeansbadorgoodluck.Iftheright
footturns,itisbadluck;iftheleft,good.ThissuperstitionseemsAfrican,
accordingtoastatementmadebyMoreaudeSaint-Méry.Somereversethe
conditions,makingtheturningoftheleftfootbadluck.Itisalsobadluckto
walkaboutthehousewithoneshoeonandoneshoeoff.orasacreole
acquaintanceexplainedittome"c'estappelersamèreousonpèredansle
tombeau"(Itiscallingone'smotherorone'sfatherintothegrave).Anitching
intherightpalmmeanscominggain;intheleft,comingloss.

Neverleaveahousebyadifferentdoorfromthatbywhichyouenteredit;it
is"carryingawaythegoodluckoftheplace."Neverliveinahouseyoubuild
beforeithasbeenrentedforatleastayear.Whenanagedpersonrepairshis
orherhouse,heorsheissoontodie.Neverpassachildthroughawindow;it
stopshisgrowth.Steppingoverachilddoesthesame;therefore,whoever
takessuchastepinadvertentlymuststepbackagaintobreaktheevilspell.
Nevertiltarocking-chairwhenitisempty.Nevertellabaddreambefore
breakfast,unlessyouwantit"tocometrue";andneverparethenailson
Mondaymorningbeforetakingacupofcoffee.Afunnysuperstitionabout

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windowsisgivenmeinthisnotebyafriend:"Ilnefautpasfairepasserun
enfantparlafenêtre,caravantunanilyenauraunautre"(Achildmustnot
bepassedthroughawindow,forifsopassedyouwillhaveanotherchild
beforethelapseofayear.)Thisproverb,ofcourse,interestsonlythosewho
desiresmallfamilies,andasageneralrulecreolesareproudoflargefamilies,
andshowextraordinaryaffectiontowardtheirchildren.

Iftwomarriagesarecelebratedsimultaneously,oneofthehusbandswilldie.
Marryatthetimeofthemoon'swaningandyourgoodluckwillwanealso.If
twopersonsthinkandexpressthesamethoughtatthesametime,oneofthem
willdiebeforetheyearpasses.Tochopupfoodinapotwithaknifemeansa
disputeinthehouse.Ifyouhavearinginginyourears,somepersonis
speakingbadlyofyou;calloutthenamesofallwhomyoususpectandwhen
theringingstopsattheutteranceofacertainname,youknowwhotheparty
is.Iftwoyounggirlsarecombingthehairofathirdatthesametime,itmay
betakenforgrantedthattheyoungestofthethreewillsoondie.Ifyouwant
tomakeitstopraining,plantacrossinthemiddleoftheyardandsprinkleit
withsalt.Thered-fishhastheprintofSt.Peter'sfingersonitstail.Ifwater
won'tboilinthekettle,theremaybeatoadoratoad'segginit.Neverkilla
spiderintheafternoonorevening,butalwayskillthespiderunluckyenough
toshowhimselfearlyinthemorning,fortheoldFrenchproverbsays:

"Araignéedumatin--chagrin;
Araignéedumidi--plaisir;
Araignéedusoir--espoir"

(Aspiderseeninthemorningisasignofgrief;aspiderseenannoon,of
joy;aspiderseenintheevening,ofhope).

EvenfromthisverybriefsketchofNewOrleanssuperstitionsthereader
mayperceivethatthesubjectispeculiarenoughtomerittheattentionof
experiencedfolklorists.Itmightbedividedbyacompetentclassifierunder
threeheads:I.Negrosuperstitionsconfinedtotheblackandcolored.
population;II.Negrosuperstitionswhichhaveprovedcontagious,andhave
spreadamongtheuneducatedclassesofwhites;III.SuperstitionsofLatin
originimportedfromFrance,Spain,andItaly.Ihavenottouchedmuchupon
superstitionsinheritedfromEnglish,Irish,orScotchsources,inasmuchas

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theyhavenothingespeciallylocalintheircharacterhere.Itmustbe
rememberedthattherefinedclasseshavenoshareinthesebeliefs,andthat,
withafewreallyrationalexceptions,thepracticesofcreolemedicineare
ignoredbyeducatedpersons.Thestudyofcreolesuperstitionshasonlyan
ethnologicalvalue,andthatofcreolemedicineonlyabotanicalone,insofar
asitisrelatedtoempiricism.

AllthisrepresentsanundersideofNewOrleanslife;andifanythingofit
managestopushuptothesurface,thecuriousgrowthmakesitselfvisible
onlybysomereallyprettyblossomsoffemininesuperstitioninregardto
weddingsorbetrothalrings,orbysomedaintysprigsofchild-lore,cultivated
bythosecolorednurseswhotellusthatthelittlechickensthrowuptheir
headswhiletheydrinktothankthegoodGodforgivingthemwater.

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Spistreści

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NEWORLEANSSUPERSTITIONS

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NEWORLEANSSUPERSTITIONS(1886)byLafcadio
Hearn

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