The legend of Bloody Mary has haunted generations of curious children for centuries.
You may recognize Bloody Mary as a popular sleepover game from your childhood. But for those who aren’t familiar, the game goes a little like this: one person volunteers to play by standing in front of a mirror in a dimly-lit room. The person then looks into the mirror and repeats the phrase “Bloody Mary” thirteen times. The legend says that after her name is spoken, she will appear to you in her most ghastly form—reaching through the mirror to scratch you bloody.
But where did this spooky game originate from? Who was “Bloody Mary” and how did she turn into a popular sleepover game favored by the adventurous and brave?
Unfortunately, there is no one clear answer to these questions.
The myth of Bloody Mary is as varied as the game is frightening.
But let’s explore a few of the more popular origin stories…
The first legend we’ll explore paints Bloody Mary as an old witch. This witch, known by the name of Mary Worth, was executed centuries ago on the accusation of practicing black magic. They say her death was so bloody and cruel that she haunts the mirrors enchanted with her name in order to exact her swift revenge.
Another legend claims that Bloody Mary was in fact Queen Mary the first, who took her reign back in 16th century England. She was given the moniker of Bloody Mary after sentencing hundreds of Protestants to death. Although, nobody is sure why she supposedly haunts the mirrors of those who call her name, her bloody reign has made her infamous.
And finally, our last legend claims that Bloody Mary is no Mary at all, but Elizabeth Bathory—the Hungarian Countess known as the “Queen of Blood”. Bathory slaughtered hundreds of girls and bathed in their blood. She was obsessed with youth and believed the blood of virgins would keep her eternally youthful—motivating the Countess to keep a steady supply of young girls around. Again, the legend does not say why she haunts the mirrors, but we can guess it might have something to do with her desperate grasping for eternal youth.
So, whether Bloody Mary was the witch, the queen, or the countess hungry for bloodshed, we don’t know… but the infamy of Bloody Mary has lived on through the centuries.
Now, even if you find the legends hard to believe, some mystics say there might just be some truth to this myth. For mirrors are well-known spiritual portals, and to chant the name of a being in front of a mirror by candlelight, well… you could very well be summoning that being forth.
So, while we may never know who Bloody Mary really was, is chanting her name in front of a portal in the dark something we really want to do?
Because who knows what or who is really coming through.
