The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

BLOODY MURDER

"IT" GOES AND HIDES WHILE THE CHILDREN SITTING ON
"HOME" SING THE FOLLOWING SONG:
ONE O'CLOCK, TWO O'CLOCK, THREE O'CLOCK ROCK
FOUR O'CLOCK, FIVE O'CLOCK, SIX O'CLOCK ROCK
SEVEN O'CLOCK, EIGHT O'CLOCK, NINE O'CLOCK ROCK
TEN O'CLOCK, ELEVEN O'CLOCK, TWELVE O'CLOCK
MIDNIGHT!
"MIDNIGHT" IS YELLED AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE SO THAT "IT" MAY
KNOW THAT THE CHILDREN ARE COMING. THE CHILDREN SEPARATE
AND LOOK FOR "IT". IF A CHILD SEES "IT" AND HASN'T YET BEEN
TOUCHED BY "IT", THAT CHILD WILL SCREAM "BLOODY MURDER" AND
RUN TO HOME. THE OTHER CHILDREN ALSO SCREAM "BLOODY MURDER"
AND RUN TO HOME. IT IS UNWISE TO BE LAST FOR BY THEN "IT" HAS
GOTTEN TO THE AREA OF HOME BASE AND GUARDS HOME SO THAT THE
PLAYERS CAN'T GET THROUGH. THE PLAYERS TOUCHING HOME BASE THEN
FORM A HUMAN CHAIN, LINKING HANDS, AND TRY TO REACH THE
TRAPPED PLAYERS. IF THEY CAN REACH THE CHAIN THEY ARE "SAFE".
IF SOMEONE IS TOUCHED BY "IT" THEY BECOME "IT" FOR THE NEXT
GAME. OTHERWISE THE ORIGINAL "IT" IS "IT" AGAIN AND THE GAME
BEGINS AGAIN. THIS GAME WAS ALWAYS PLAYED AT NIGHT. "IT"
COULD HIDE BETTER AND THE DARKNESS ADDED TO THE FEAR AND
EXCITEMENT. THE BOUNDARIES WERE ALWAYS SETTLED BEFORE HAND AS
WELL AS A TIME LIMIT FOR FINDING "IT".

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Flint

Date learned: 05-00-1978