Stand in front of a mirror in a darkened or semi-darkened room. Make sure you can find the mirror again. (We used the mirror in the girl's bathroom at school. The sink was the cue to stop turning)
Turn around three full times, chanting 'Bloody Mary... Bloody Mary...' the whole time. Then stop and look into the mirror.
Bloody Mary will appear in the mirror, holding her axe and covered in
blood.
Lizzy Borden lived with her father, step-mother, and sister in Fall River, MA. One day while her sister was away visiting relatives, someone got into the house and killed Mrs. Borden with an axe in the Bordens' bedroom. Later, when Mr. Borden came home, he too was killed in the same manner in the parlor, where he was napping on the sofa.
Lizzy had been the only one in the house at the time, besides her parents and the murderer. She was not harmed, didn't know anyone had been in there, and had no idea that the grizzly murders had even taken place.
She was arrested, since she had been there by her own admission, and the doors had been locked as was customary in the household. She went on trial, but there was no concrete evidence which could convict her. She was aquitted.
But the public was convinced that she had indeed killed her father and
step-mother. The crime was never solved otherwise. This children's
rhyme was created out of the public's conviction of her guilt.