original art by me

For African Americans in the south, the Devil can be seen as a trickster or a figure who would tests a individual, but he can also be invoked for personal gain through rituals. The man in black is associated with mystery and crossing boundaries, a figure of the supernatural. These concepts intertwine with hoodoo beliefs, that in the bible there is a God and a Devil. "One who love you and One who love to tricks you".

Not all teachers in the African spiritual systems don't normally teach about good and evil. Instead the lesson is that both work together in this world to create harmony. Light and Dark, Good and Bad, Right and Wrong are all necessary aspects of God's creation. But I think that the ancestors might have seen two deities who are able to bless and curse. Maybe both God and the Devil were seen as something greater than themselves.

What I find most interesting about working with the devil or darker side from a hoodoo perspective is that it takes on the forms of many different invocations, spells that are found in all types of ceremonial magic in all types of spiritual practices.

It would normally start with a prayer to God right, so if one can work with God and the Devil as total opposites, then it would make sense to first invoke the protection of the greatest good before calling on the power of the greatest evil.

Well anyways i hope that this can provide further clarity and understanding for those who are honestly pursuing knowledge on the real traditional spiritual practices.

Now to the story. Below is a fictional story. This story is of a young black man who has nothing, but wants it all. It also includes some of my own experience that helps provide a unique look in the hoodoo practice.

Nothing in this stories is meant to be performed in real life by any practitioners, but for those who like that world, I wish you luck.

"Have you ever heard of the spirit known as Old Scratch"? They speak about him in whispers late at night when they think no one's listening. I think they’re talking about the Devil, but they say he's done good things for them, so he might be something else altogether. He might be an angel for all I know. They say he can grant wishes if you offer him something in return. I can't fight the feeling of going and finding out for myself. I don't own any silver or gold, so what could I possibly offer him in return?

The Story: written by Papa J.

In the forlorn backwaters of a forgotten town, the embers of an ancient legend of Old Scratch smoldered in the heart of a young man named Ezekiel. Destitute and hungry, he possessed nothing but an unyielding hunger for a better life. Haunted by the poignant words of his beloved grandmother, a tale of the crossroads and a sinister figure known as 'Old Scratch' had etched itself upon his soul.

Now don't get me wrong going to a crossroads to get everything I want sounds pretty good, but what can I offer him when I don't have anything to give.

The pastor always said that "The Devil is fighting to get our souls, so I might just offer him that. What else would a poor southern boy with no wife, no money and no family would need with a soul anyway? I might as well get something for it like that old blues man Robert Johnson. Lol. Yes sir..

But I wonder if God would be mad at me for offering my soul to the Devil. The bible says that God created everything, if that's true he must have created the Devil too and if he did then why would he create a soul if it wasn't supposed to be used for something?

God would understand. I wasn't blessed with riches or love, or family, how else am I supposed to have the life I want? God wouldn't have given me all these things if he didn't want me to take things into my own hands.

Besides, no one will ever know what I’ve done.

To do this he needs to remember how the story that his grandmother had told him.

I remember as my grandmother spoke about where to find the spirit of Old Scratch and how to summon his spirit. She would say that some people summon him at the crossroads and others can call him at the cemetery. Well the cemetery was too creepy.

But i had to go to either a crossed road or a cemetery at night dressed in all black and wearing a hat to cover my head. I had to wear a crucifix necklace for protection.

So Ezekiel to heads out early to make it to the intersection by midnight.

He begin by saying the Lord's prayer, for further protection against the tricks that Old Scratch would play on him, he love to pray on people's minds. After saying the Lord’s prayer three times, she said to lay down three pennies, a bottle of whiskey, and a cigar along with my greatest offering. We know what that was...

After laying down my offering, I had to say the Lord’s prayer in reverse three times and knock three times on the ground. Then speak “Man in black, Old dirty Scratch, I have work for you to do come forth and grant me what I desire. ”After saying this three times. I should tell him my wish and what I was willing to exchange in return for his work, and then I should wait for his spirit to appear. If his spirit does not appear in awhile, knock three times again and repeat:

After the ritual, a spectral form emerged from the darkness. I thought he would just appear like in the movies but he didn't. But what I saw was a man traveling down the road at the time of my call.

My grandmother told me that he would sometimes appear as a white man, sometimes a black man or even a innocent looking child but he was always dressed in black with a rimmed hat.

"I am Old Scratch. State your desires, and I shall grant them". 'Ezekiel's heart pounded in his chest.

I told him I desire wealth beyond measure, a life of love, money, luxury, family and the power to command respect.'

My grandmother was right, he did tried to trick me but I did everything she said and he said everything she said he would.

She told me “When his spirit comes to you, hold your crucifix necklace and remember your faith in God. Your faith will protect you from Old Scratches tricks.” Granny said. “That old Devil will ask for even more, no matter how great the offering is, you must deny him more.

Next, he will pretend to be your friend, and ask again in the sweetest and most inviting tone. You must deny him again. Then, he will threaten evil upon you and your household if you do not give him what he asks for. This is where you need to call upon the names of God to command him:“In the name of El Sheddi, in the name of Adoni, in the name of Elohim,

I told him i want to make a deal and I would exchange my soul for it. I thought he would give me a paper to sign like in 'Ghost Rider' but he just smiled, and tipped his hat to me and continued on down the road. My grandmother said that when the deal was done, you should turn away and leave from the offering and walk away and don't look back.

A cruel smile spread across Old Scratch's face. 'Your desires shall be fulfilled. But know this, mortal, a heavy price will be paid.

The next day I went back to the crossroads the offerings were gone so I assumed he accepted my offer.

'True to his word, that next night Old Scratch bestowed upon Ezekiel immense riches. His coffers overflowed with gold, and servants catered to his every whim. Months passed by when he met his wife they eventually had three children, Years passed and Ezekiel have everything he ever wanted but yet, with each passing day, Ezekiel felt a gnawing emptiness within.

But his mind wandered remembering the night he made the deal with the stranger. I wondered when my soul was due. Ten years have passed since then. I he couldn't shake that feeling. When would the Devil collect?

The wealth he had longed for brought him no solace. As power swelled within him, so too did his arrogance. He became ruthless and devoid of compassion, dismissing the needs of others. The people he once cared for now trembled in his presence.

Thirty years have passed since then. As a old man I witnessed the deaths of all my kin Here I sit all alone. Only if I had truly known the cost, Perhaps my spirit wouldn't be lost.

On one night, Ezekiel realized the true extent of his pact. As he lay alone in his opulent mansion, with no love ones around anymore and a town full of people who once loved him. Old Scratch appeared beside him, his eyes gleaming with cold indifference.

When you push certain structural nonsense far enough, interesting things happen. This is the thinking behind, for instance, the repetitiveness in the art of someone like Warhol. “Intention” has no bearing on this (as in “what the artist wanted to express”). It happens beyond the level of conscious communication. This does not mean it is simply interesting in itself; but in conjunction with “conscious communication,” like in art it can become fascinating. It connects the human to what is maybe “not human,” i.e., it makes us think about where we imagine the limits of what we feel comfortable calling human lie. “Devil Story” is about what makes us human. It also about a man shooting at a horse for an entire night, for reasons that I don’t think are really explained. He may or may not kill it. Also unsure what effects (if any) that has.