?For Brazil, I know as much as I know about Macumba, the African magic practiced there. As I was having breakfast with a Brazilian actress, she told me that women there use a multitude of spells to appease men, the strongest of which causes erectile problems.
Magic requires that you write your husband's name on a piece of paper. Then, with a needle or sharp object, dig a small hole in the crown of an egg. Carefully insert the paper made into the cylinder into the egg.
The egg must be preserved - the good would be in the fridge so it doesn't smell - and as long as the man's name is inside the egg, he will enjoy neither himself nor others.
My girlfriend told me the story of a woman she knew who practiced this magic when her boyfriend left for France. She'd been away for almost a year and she couldn't trust the seductive European women, so she had to do something.
He went out and wrote them down, spoke on video, sent emails day and night. He told her that Europe was so boring compared to their sex lives. He told him about the work he was doing and that soon enough he would have enough money to get it to Europe.
Occasionally, she would ask if he was having fun, and he would reply, "yes, we went to McDonalds today!" Or "Last night I felt at home and watched a movie!" His girlfriend in Brazil was happy but had completely forgot the egg in the fridge. In her naivety, she did not attribute her boyfriend's loyalty to magic, but to strong feelings.
After 12 months, she fell in love with him and began to visit her boyfriend in Paris. At the airport, he embraced and kissed her thousands of times. Both on the train and on the way home, kisses and hugs. Since it was a hot July afternoon, they decided to stay inside and enjoy each other.
But she didn't understand her boyfriend's lethargy. There were many explanations, but only one thing was certain; he could not make love to her. Some days they ignored it as fact, other days they had erotic conversations that never culminated. Nothing worked.
Finally, she remembered the frozen egg in Sao Paulo, placed under peas and frozen fish. Stuck there for over a year.
So she phoned her sister, who knew about these jobs, and asked her to undo the magic. Her sister went to the apartment, pulled out the egg, left it on the table to dry off. After a few days, the scent was unbearable. He managed to get the name out successfully, burned the paper and smashed the egg on the toilet. The peels were dropped and discharged into the water. He then wrote to his sister and told him the order was fulfilled.
In Paris, the woman read the happy message. He hung up and called for love. "Fernando," she said with all joy. He was in the shower. "What do you want?" He asked.
"I love you," she returns, finally satisfied that his body was responding to her beauty.
My Brazilian friend smiled in front of me as she stuffed the toast with slightly boiled eggs. We finished the tea and removed the dishes. I can't wait for tomorrow.
Adapted from The Irish Times.
