Bloody Mary and plaque disclosing tablets

Whether you consider her a folklore or an urban legend, let's discuss Bloody Mary.

First, I'm going to get a little sidetracked:  Who remembers getting a visit, in elementary school, from a local dentist and/or a dental technician?  They were there to teach you proper dental care.  They would bring those weird chewable plaque disclosing tablets that everyone had to use. The dentist would give everyone a toothbrush and toothpaste.  You would brush your teeth and then chew one of these red (sometimes pink) tablets.  They were used to show children if they were brushing their teeth properly by dyeing the plaque left behind a reddish color.

Anyhow, the first time I ever heard about Blood Mary was during dental day in elementary school.  A handful of girls were talking about it in the bathroom while we were supposed to be brushing our teeth and chewing our red tablets.  I remember one of the girls turning the lights off and on to get a scare out of everyone.

Do you remember the first time you heard of Bloody Mary?

The story of Bloody Mary, for me, goes like this:

As a child I remember being told that she was a witch who was executed back in the old days. To conjure her, you go into a bathroom and stand in front of the mirror with the lights out.  You could either stand in complete darkness or have one candle for dim lighting.  You chant "Bloody Mary" three times into the mirror and Bloody Mary will appear to you.  The sight of her is supposed to be terrifying.  I was always petrified to ever try this as a young girl because I didn't want to see her.  I also didn't know how I would get rid of her if she did appear to me. The story apparently worked on me.  I remember standing in front of the bathroom mirror at home a couple times and thinking about her but never dared chant her name.  I always assumed that if you actually saw her she would kill you.

I grew out of that fear as I grew older.  I also found out that this childhood game/urban legend of  Bloody Mary had a bit of truth involved with it.  The following is a story I recently learned about her.

Mary Tudor, the daughter (and only child) of Catherine of Aragon and King Henry VIII, born in Greenwich, England on February 18, 1516.  Mary Tudor became Queen in 1553 at the age of 37.  She was the first queen regnant of both England and Ireland.  Queen Mary was looking to return England to the Catholic Church.  The story goes on to state that she persecuted hundreds of Protestants, thus earning her the nickname "Bloody Mary".  During her life, Queen Mary had several false pregnancies, never once having a child.  She died on November 17, 1558 at the age of 42.

Did you ever try conjuring Bloody Mary?  Does your story sound similar to mine?  Have you heard my version or any other version of Queen Mary's life story?  Did you ever have to use plaque disclosing tablets in school?  Whether or not you've heard of Bloody Mary, Queen Mary or plaque disclosing tablets, I hope you have enjoyed reading my latest entry!