Halloween Folklore...
By twoey68
@twoey68 (13627)
United States
September 18, 2007 5:05pm CST
It's said that Marie Laveau was a famous Voodoo woman who lived in Louisiana and had all kinds of black magic powers. Even though she's been dead for many years ppl still visit her gravesite and leave her offerings believing she will bless them. I like this kind of folklore... whether it's true or not. With Halloween around the corner, I thought it would be good to share this.
Do you believe this? Do you like folklore like this?
I came across a song about her a long time ago and love it. Here's the words to it.
Marie Laveau
Down in Lou´siana where the black trees grow
Lives a voodoo lady named Marie Laveaux.
She got a black cat tooth and a mojo bone,
And anyone wouldn´t leave her alone.
She go GREEEEEEEEEEEE...
Another man done gone.
She live in a swamp in a hollow log
With a one-eyed snake and a three-legged dog.
She got a bent bony body and stringy hair,
And if she ever seen you messin´ round there,
She go GREEEEEEEEEEEE...
Another man done gone.
And then one night when the moon was black,
Into the swamp came Handsome Jack.
A no-good man like you all know,
And he was lookin´ around for Marie Laveaux .
He said, "Marie Laveau, you lovely witch,
Why don´t you gimme a little charm that´ll make me rich.
Gimme million dollars, and I´ll tell you what I´ll do...
This very night I´m gonna marry you."
It´ll be UMMMMMMMM...
Another man done gone.
So Marie did some magic and she shook a little sand,
Made a million dollars, and she put it in his hand.
Then she looked and she said , "Hey hey,
I´m gettin´ ready for my wedding day."
But ol´ Handsome Jack said "Good-bye Marie.
You too damn ugly for a man like me."
So Marie started shakin´, her fangs started gnashin´,
Her body started shakin´, and her eyes started flashin´.
She went GREEEEEEEEEEEE...
Another man done gone.
So if you ever get down where the black tree grow
And meet a voodoo lady named Marie Laveaux,
And if she ever asks you to make her your wife,
Man, you better stay with her for the rest of your life
Or it´ll be GREEEEEEEEEEEE...
Another man done gone.
7 people like this
13 responses
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
24 Sep 07
I remember that song and always thought it was pretty cool. As for the folklore...people say it usually has some basis in fact for it to become a story that is circulated and remembered. Who knows? It could have been a little old lady who kept to herself and details got exaggerated.
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
24 Sep 07
There is some mystery that surrounds her although how much imagination has been added to that over the years is anyones guess. I actually have the song on my musicbox on my profile now. :)
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
21 Sep 07
Thanks for sharing that. I think I have heard that song before, or at least someone tell the story. I love folklore and legends. It doens't matter if they are true or not, if the story is intriguing! Thanks for sharing! I LOVE halloween!
2 people like this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
20 Sep 07
Oh, great...I enjoyed that.
I wish we had Halloween here in Australia.
What else do you do as well as decorating your homes, kids dressing up and travelling the neighbourhood for trick or treat. I know that get candy for the treat but what's the trick about? What's the significance of pumpkins? What's the significance of trick or treat?
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
24 Sep 07
It is a fun holiday at least for most ppl. The trick part of trick or treat goes that if you go to a door and yell trick or treat and they don't have a treat your supposed to pull a trick on them. I've never known anyone to do it but that's the way I was raised to understand it.
From what I understand the whole pumpkin thing was supposed to have started way back as a way of lighting the way for the tricker treaters (by putting a candle in the pumpkin) and the scary faces were supposed to scare off the ghosts and goblins that were said to roam about on Halloween night.
I'm not sure about the significance of the actual trick or treat part. Perhaps it was believed that by going around trick or treating you were actually scaring off would be ghosts and goblins from the families you collected from. I'm not really sure.
I still like the holiday and for me it isn't about evil, devil worship, demons or anything like that. It's about a childhood tradition of fun and games that I can share with my niece and nephew.
Thank you for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
19 Sep 07
The most I have done is drive throug Louisiana, but this is cool.
It is things like this that makes our culture so rich, all of the stuff that America has and we can share it so easily.
Thanks for this!
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Oh, twoey, LMAO! I just love it! If I had a printer I would have run myself off a copy or two of that song. Strangely, it seems familiar to me-like I've heard it before. I think that nearly everyone has heard stories about the infamous Marie Laveau. I do read a lot of material set in that part of the country. For some reason I have long been attracted to Louisiana. Who knows why?
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
21 Sep 07
I love that song. A friend of mine that I let listen to my copy of it, does it all the time at karoke. She loves it as well. I think alot of ppl are drawn to that area b/c of the atmosphere, mystery and general excitement.
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
18 Sep 07
I lived down in Louisiana for about a year and a half during high school. I lived in bayou country and let me tell you those folks still believe she has powers to heal. I admire her story. A lot of the myth and legend has grown exaggerated through out time as myths have a way of doing. Her story is a very interesting one. Full of culture and history. I can also attest to the fact that people truly bring her offerings and light candles, I have seen it and actually participated in a séance at her grave side during that year I lived there. We were so silly and frightened. Of course the ghost of Marie Laveau never appeared to us, but we sure had fun :))
2 people like this
@sizzle3000 (3036)
• United States
18 Sep 07
I have heard of this song. It is as old as the hill. My grandmother told me the story when I was young. I did not know there was really a grave in Louisiana. There is always a little trueth to all folklor that you hear. I love the story or song what ever it was. I think it was a song. Marie Laveaux sounds like a really bad lady and I would not want to cross her either. I think if I lived in Louisiana I would leave gifts too because I need all the blessing I can get. I really do not believe in Voodoo but I know some people do. The black magic is something that you need to believe in for it to really work. thanks for reminding me about this story.
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
21 Sep 07
I love the song simply b/c it tells a story and is fun to listen to and sing along with. I love the folklore that surrounds this woman and the legend she's become.l Some day I'd like to visit her monument just for the fun of it.
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@slickcut (8140)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Ha ha, i always liked that song...I was born in Louisana,and i guess you can consider me cajan...There is a lot of voodoo down there in the swamps,i do not deny that..rather it is true or not is all up to the people who believe....There is true witches ,i do know that and they do have some power..They have some called white witches and they are the good witches......they have all kinds of spells and you can read about them,some can tell the future......I do believe that...
2 people like this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
21 Sep 07
Yes, I've heard that alot of the stuff to do with voodoo depends on whether the person believes it or not. For those that do, they believe they have ultimate powers.
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
21 Sep 07
Even though I am strong in my faith in God, I still like to read up on this type of thing. It doesn't mean that I'm into voodoo or anything, just that I find it interesting.
Thanks for responding!!
**AT PEACE WITHIN**
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
19 Sep 07
I wanted to do the Marie Leveaux tour when we were in New Orleans but we didnt have time and it was rainy most of the time we were there. We did get a chance to do the walking ghost tour which was pretty fun. I don't know if it was the drinks we had at the pub before we went on the tour or what, but we had fun hahaha!
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
18 Sep 07
That sounds so wonderful...I like that kind of folklore too. Being that this woman, Marie Laveau was from Louisiana, I can't help if her legend and story was the inspiration for some of Anne Rice's books...like the Mayfair Witches, that began in her book The Witching Hour--she too comes from Louisiana as you might know
1 person likes this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
19 Sep 07
Oh my gosh Pye, I adore Anne and her writing. I think in fact it was in New Orleans when I picked up my first copy of Interview. I fell in love with Lestat, I lived breathed vampires. I at one time dreamed that Armand was going to come to me and give to me the gift. The Mayfair witches was just as thrilling. I loved how she brought all elements of her stories together. Southern Louisiana is so rich in diverse culture and history, one can not help but get caught up in drama.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
19 Sep 07
I didn't read any of her books until I saw the movie Interview...I was more of a Louis (Brad Pitt) fan...uh, Armand (Antonios Banderas) not bad looking either..wouldn't mind either of them biting my neck...LOL
1 person likes this
@libertarianfreedom21 (3198)
• United States
27 Sep 07
I havent heard this one but i think all folklore is cool. I like to be sared sometimes. We had plenty of storys but never any songs thats cool.
1 person likes this
