DEVIL'S SHOESTRING by Rev. Carol A. Ingle AKA Raven

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

DEVIL'S SHOESTRING

Devil's Shoestring is the common name for several plants that grow in North America. When found as an ingredient in mojo hands made by African-American hoodoo doctors, the name refers to various species of Viburnum, usually Viburnum alnifolium (alderleafed viburnum or hobblebush), but sometimes the related species Viburnum opulus (cramp-bark) or Viburnum prunifolium (black haw).

These plants are in the honeysuckle family and all of them grow in the woods. The roots of all three are used medically as anti-spasmodics, especially to ease menstrual cramps.
All three species are more or less interchangeable medically and magically, as far as I know, but if you order cramp-bark from a medicial herb company, you'll probably get cut-and-sifted chunklets of root bark, and for hoodoo you want the whole long roots, so you will probably have to order Devil's Shoestrings from an occult supply company.

The "strings" of Devil's Shoestrings are not string-like at all, rather they are long and
flexible, sort of like rattan or honeysuckle vine, only they are roots, not canes. The big ones are smooth and thicker than pencils; the little ones are wiry and thin, like St. John's wort roots. In old oral histories of hoodoo, some folks call them "twigs," because they somewhat resemble sucker growth on a fruit tree ... Only without the leaf-buds. Many spells call for nine pieces, so when buying, you should try to get nine pieces that match in size and length, no matter whether they are thick or thin.

Devil's Shoestrings are used for protection, to "trip up the Devil" or hobble" him so he can't get in a house. They are also carried for gambling luck and for job-getting. Some folks drive them into the ground around the front door or place a bundle of them above
the door lintel or mantelpiece. In past days, it was not uncommon for folks to wear an ankle-bracelet made with nine pieces of Devil's Shoestring and a silver dime to prevent
being poisoned through the feet" by stepping in Goofer Dust. I put them in several of my
formulas, such as Law Keep Away, which is traditional, and I sell them in nine-packs for
use as gambling charms and to stick in the ground to keep evil people off the path or to
tie around the ankle to protect from being crossed or goofered.

Here's a popular recipe for a spell that uses Devil's Shoestrings for good luck:

Get nine Devil's Shoestrings roots and wrap them nine times around with white thread and each time you wrap the thread around, tie a knot, so you end up with nine knots. Put the bundle in a tall narrow medicine bottle and fill it with whiskey or Hoyt's Cologne.
Leave the bottle to sit for nine days, and after that when you go to gamble, apply for
a job, or do anything that requires luck, dip your fingers in the liquid and run them through your hair nine times, like you would with hair oil. You can also use this liquid to dress a mojo hand or lodestones. Keep the Devil's Shoestrings in the bottle topped up with whiskey or Hoyt's Cologne and use the liquid as a dressing any time you want more luck.

Many more spells utilizing Devil's Shoestrings can be found in the book Hoodoo Herb and Root Magic.