Bloody Mary

Lexus

 “If you look in a looking glass for too long, you are sure to see the devil” according to a nineteenth century saying. There was a superstition that started in the eighteenth century saying that mirrors were to be kept covered or faced towards the wall. It was said that if a mirror was not covered, it was an invitation for the ghostly and dead to appear. As centuries past there have been several stories and experiences people have had relating back to this superstition of ghost and mirrors. One of the most famous stories is the one about a women named Bloody Mary.

 In the 1930’s many believed in the myth of Bloody Mary. They would play the game “bloody Mary”, they believed that if you walked into a room with a mirror, and the lights were out, and you say “bloody mary” 3xs, Mary would appear in the mirror. Historical rituals encouraged younger girls to walk up a flight of stairs backwards, while holding a candle they would see the face of their future husband. If the young women didn’t have a chance at marriage, and would die before they had the chance, they would see a glimpse of the bloody mary.

 There are many different versions of who exactly Bloody Mary is. One version of the Bloody Mary goes back to the time before Queen Elizabeth I of England became queen. The story says that Queen Elizabeth I hadan older sister named Mary Tudor who was also the daughter of Henry VIII. Mary Tudor was said to be a Catholic and had many Protestants put to death by burning them at stake. By doing this, the name Bloody Mary was given to her. At this time Mary Tudorwas queen and wanted to produce the next heir. It was said that Mary had a very hard time conceiving. There were rumors saying that Mary eventually became pregnant but was pregnant with a ghost baby. Due to the fact Mary could not conceive a child, her sister Elizabeth was given the throne and soon after sentenced Mary to death. After her death everyone would say they would see Queen Mary in their mirrors.
Another version of who Bloody Mary is, is the story of the witch in the woods. At a point in time, little girls were starting to go missing and the witch was of course a suspect. No one had ever been to the witch’s home before, but when they went she was more beautiful than anyone had imagined.
With any more questions asked, they left the young, beautiful girl alone. Then one night I little girl left her home in the middle of the night. While everyone was out, looking for the little girl they spotted a light in the middle of the woods. Everyone thought the light was the little girl, then once they got closer they seen it was the witch. She tried to run, but they caught her and burnt her in a barn fire. While burning, it was said she was casting a spell on anyone who would chant her name in the mirror.


 Works Cited
Beesley, Angela. “Bloody Mary.” Photograph. Wikia. Wikia, 26 May 2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2015
Paul, Robert A. “Bloody Mary in the Mirror." American Imago. Winter2003, Vol. 60 Issue 4, p545. 5p. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.
Richardson Jancy. “The tragic true story of the real life bloody mary.” Online Video Clip. Moviepilot. Moviepilot, 2 Apr. 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
Richardson, Jancy. “I stole your baby bloody mary” Photograph. Moviepilot. Moviepilot, 2 Apr. 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

Further Research
http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/blood-mary-legends/
This link gives information about different versions of bloody mary. It gives more information about bloody mary rituals and what to do to make her appear.
http://www.castleofspirits.com/bloodymary.html
This link gets more in depth about the game. How it is a popular game at children’s sleepovers.

http://www.ghostsofohio.org/lore/ohio_lore_1.html
This link is about a team of investigators who investigate hauntings. They talk about how people actually believe in bloody mary, and ask that they do further research on it.

http://moviepilot.com/posts/2015/04/02/the-tragic-true-story-of-the-real-life-bloody-mary-2822134?lt_source=external,share_video
This link from Movie Pilot outlines the history of Bloody Mary and includes an informational video.

Legendary Bloody Mary

Author: Khadijih Robinson 

When I was little, many young girls liked to play games like “Bloody Mary”. The girls would stand in front of a mirror with the lights turned off repeating the name “Bloody Mary” over again. After you call Bloody Mary, she is supposed to appear in the mirror and claw your face, steal your soul, or just appear with blood all over. The game Bloody Mary has been played throughout time and there is no true story of Bloody Mary.  The legend has multiple stories to be told, and the game is played in different ways. The story of Bloody Mary ranges from history of a tyrannical queen, to myths of the witch in the woods, as well as, a drink for a recovering hangover.

Written on American Folklore, There was a witch in the woods, by the name of Bloody Mary. No one went near her home, but when little girls started going missing, everyone was questioned in the village even the witch. When the townspeople went to the witch’s home to question her, but the people noticed she appeared younger and more beautiful. One day a little girl left her home in the middle of the night. The little girl’s parents tried to stop her, but the little girl kept going. Her parents started calling on the townspeople for help. The people saw a low glow light and ran towards it. The light was the witch holding a wand chanting a spell, but Bloody Mary ran as she seen the people yelling after her and one of the men shot her in the hip. The townspeople grabbed her and took her to a field where they had made a bonfire and threw her in it and as the witch burned she casted a spell on anyone that chanted her name in a mirror. The townspeople went to the witch’s home and found the graves of the missing girls in her backyard.

            The tyrannical Queen Mary I, “Bloody Mary” started out being nothing but the same name. The Queen killed many people that tried to dethrone her. Many of the people killed were based on religious persecution. There are similar references connecting the Queen Mary I to the Elizabeth Bathory story. Elizabeth Bathory is known to be the “Blood Countess,” which she killed many young girls,  but still no one knows the story of the Legendary Bloody Mary. Neither of the stories connects to the legend of the lady standing in the mirror, clawing your face out.

            There is a cocktail drink called “Bloody Mary,” that people drink occasionally. A bartender by the name of Fernand Petiot started out putting a twist to an already known drink called the “the Red Snapper.” When Petiot put the twist to the old cocktail it became the “Bloody Mary.” Fernand made this drink in the 1920’s working at a bar in Paris; he then brought the new refined drink to New York. It is said that the drink is known for drinking when one is attempting to sober up.

             As stated before, I once played the game Bloody Mary, but I never followed through with the game. I have always been the scared one, so while writing this article I was scared to research this topic, or look at any pictures. I have never known anyone to see the infamous “Bloody Mary,” but this could be because this is a story you tell a slumber party of girls to scare them to sleep or dare them to be the courageous one. Bloody Mary Stories, Here is a few stories that real young girls have told about their Bloody Mary experience.

Works Cited:

Curtis, Wayne. “Behind the Drink: The Bloody Mary.” Liquor.com.17. Dec. 2010. Web. 23.Oct.2012

Dube, Ryan. “Bloody Mary Legend.” Love To Know. Love To Know Corp. Web. 12 October 2012.

Dundes, Alan. Bloody Mary in the Mirror: Essays in Psychoanalytic Folkloristic. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi,  2002. Print.

“I Believe in Mary Worth”. Encyclopedia of Urban Legends. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Credo Reference. Web. 12 October 2012

Paramore_riot. “Bloody Mary.” Photograph. Fanpop, 2009. Web. 23.Oct. 2012

Ramsland , Katherine. “Lady of Blood: Countess Bathory .” Crime Library. Tuner, A Time Warner Company, ND. Web. 13 October 2012.

Ridley, Jasper. Bloody Mary’s Martyrs: The Story of England’s Terror. New York. Carroll &

Graf  Publishers, 2001. Print.

Schlosser, S E. “Bloody Mary.” American Folklore.  S.E. Schlosser 1997-2020, 18.Oct. 2012. Spooky Pennsylvania . Web. 13 October 2012.

Links for Further Research:

Queen “Bloody” Mary

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/queen-mary.html

There is information on Queen Mary I telling the story with details on her life.

Bloody Mary

http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2009/10/bloody_mary.html

More information on Bloody Mary legend and the game.

Lady of Blood: Countess Bathory

http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/bathory/countess_1.html

There is a website on crime stories and unsolved mysteries.