$(document).ready(function() { $("#menu1 li").prepend("<span></span>"); //Throws an empty span tag right before the a tag $("#menu1 li").each(function() { //For each list item... var linkText = $(this).find("a").html(); //Find the text inside of the a tag $(this).find("span").show().html(linkText); //Add the text in the span tag }); $("#menu1 li").hover(function() { //On hover... $(this).find("span").stop().animate({ marginTop: "-40" //Find the span tag and move it up 40 pixels }, 250); } , function() { //On hover out... $(this).find("span").stop().animate({ marginTop: "0" //Move the span back to its original state (0px) }, 250); }); /* 2nd example */ $("#menu2 li").prepend("<span></span>"); //Throws an empty span tag right before the a tag $("#menu2 li").each(function() { //For each list item... var linkText = $(this).find("a").html(); //Find the text inside of the a tag $(this).find("span").show().html(linkText); //Add the text in the span tag }); $("#menu2 li").hover(function() { //On hover... $(this).find("span").stop().animate({ marginTop: "-40" //Find the span tag and move it up 40 pixels }, 250); } , function() { //On hover out... $(this).find("span").stop().animate({ marginTop: "0" //Move the span back to its original state (0px) }, 250); }); });