The Real Origins of 20 Scary Stories

Admit it: You've looked into the mirror and said "Bloody Mary" several times ... then momentarily worried that a vengeful ghost might appear and murder you. When and where did this terrifying tradition originate? While both Mary, Queen of Scots and Queen Mary I (who was known as "Bloody Mary") have been cited as source of this particularly creepy piece of folklore, there's no evidence to support either claim. But we've got the real story.

In this all-new edition of "The List Show," Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy—decked out in her finest candy corn-covered duds—traces the origins of 20 scary stories, including which urban myths are aren't myths at all.

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