Bloody Mary

Bloody Mary is an urban legend about a restless female spirit that supposedly materialises once its name is spoken aloud in a mirror three times. The spirit's function varies between specific instances and retellings, but is usually portrayed as causing grievous harm to the ritual-performer once summoned. The concept has roots in early-20th century folklore and has remained a popular representation of the occult in media such as films, TV adaptations, and videogames. While it is unclear whether the myth refers to a specific woman, it is known that Mary I of England earned the nickname due to her forcing the burning of hundreds of religious dissenters at the stake.

Narrativization

She lived deep in the forest in a tiny cottage and sold herbal remedies for a living. Folks living in the town nearby called her Bloody Mary, and said she was a witch. No-one dared cross the old crone, for fear that their cows would go dry, their food-stores would rot away before winter, their children would take sick of fever, or any number of terrible things would happen that an angry witch could do to her neighbors and their children.

Then the little girls in the village began to disappear, one by one. No one could find where they had gone. Grief-stricken families searched the woods, the local buildings, and all the houses and barns, but there was no sign of the missing girls. A few brave souls even went to Bloody Mary's home in the woods to see if the witch had taken the girls, but she denied any knowledge of the disappearances. Still, it was noted that her haggard appearance had changed. She looked younger, more attractive. The neighbors were suspicious, but they could find no proof that the witch had taken their young ones.

Then came the night when the daughter of the miller rose from her bed and walked outside, following an enchanted sound no one else could hear. The miller's wife had a toothache, and was sitting up in the kitchen treating it with an herbal remedy when her daughter left the house. She screamed for her husband and followed the girl out the door. The miller came running in his nightshirt. Together, they tried to restrain the girl, but she kept breaking away from them and headed out of town.

The desperate cries of the miller and his wife woke the neighbors. They came to assist the frantic couple. Suddenly, a sharp-eyed farmer gave a shout, and pointed towards a strange light at the edge of the woods. A few townsmen followed him out into the field and saw Bloody Mary standing beside a large oak tree, holding a magic wand that was pointed towards the miller's house. She was glowing with an unearthly light as she set her evil spell upon the miller's daughter.

The townsmen grabbed their guns and pitchforks and ran toward the witch. When she heard the commotion, Bloody Mary broke off her spell and fled back into the woods. The far-sighted farmer had loaded his gun with silver bullets in case the witch ever came after his daughter. Now he took aim and shot at her.

The bullet hit Bloody Mary in the hip and she fell to the ground. The angry townsmen leapt upon her and carried her back into the field, where they built a huge bonfire and burned her at the stake.

As she burned, Bloody Mary screamed a curse at the villagers. If anyone mentioned her name aloud before a mirror, she would send her spirit to avenge her terrible death.

Once she had died, the villagers went to her house in the woods and found the unmarked graves of the little girls the evil witch had murdered. She had used their blood to make her young again.

From that day, anyone foolish enough to chant Bloody Mary's name three times before a darkened mirror will summon the vengeful spirit of the witch. It is said that she tears her victim's bodies to pieces, ripping out their souls. These souls will burn in torment as Bloody Mary once was burned, and they will forever become trapped in the mirror.