By Thomas D’Agostino

At the edge of Cedar Swamp in Charlestown, Rhode Island, just north of the old Narragansett Indian schoolhouse sits an outcropping of rocks called The Crying Rocks. The rocks are also located near School House Pond where a Narragansett boy named John Onion once challenged the devil. Both legends presented here are from our latest book, Ghost of King Philip’s War.

   According to Narragansett legend, the woods are so evil that according to Jeff Belanger and Ray Auger from their podcast New England Legends, “nature herself recoils in fear.” The evil that once took place at the rocks still reverberates to this day and the flora below sometimes oozes with the crimson red blood of those who met their fate at the base of the outcropping.

   The rocks are about a quarter mile past the old Narragansett church. It is there that the sounds of babies crying echoes through the woods. A Narragansett named John Paul once told Colonial Minister, Ezra Stiles of the terrible fate that befell many infants at the rocks. Children born out of wedlock or those born with an infliction, or became infirm were brought to the rocks and either left there to perish or thrown over the edge.

   Times were different and the constant movement of the tribe to summer camps and winter camps, along with hunting, wars and other vigorous living, created little room for any weakness. Those who were thought to be frail and useless through severe birth defects or illness were left at the rocks. It is said that at one time a mass of tiny skeletal bones could be seen gleaming in the sun below the ledge. The bones may be long gone, but the spirits of the children still linger about the rocks.

   People wandering by the rocks get an uneasy feeling or hear the sounds of babies crying. If one should dare venture out between the dark hours of 2 to 3 am, they may hear the restless spirits at their most active moments. 

   Just a short distance from The Crying Rocks in Charlestown, Rhode Island is Schoolhouse Pond. The pond is frequented by locals who enjoy its beauty year-round. There is a darker side of the pond that is told by locals and old timers. The legend is of a Narragansett named John Onion.

   John was a strong and brave Narragansett lad who was fond of visiting the pond, especially in winter when the frozen surface afforded him the pleasure of skating. John was fast on skates and always found the opportunity to challenge anyone who was there to a race. The result was always the same; John would out skate his opponent by a long shot. The other kids often tried to race John, but were no match for his strength and endurance on the ice. One evening, as the sun began to sink low in the Winter sky, John, in his confidence of his ability yelled out to his friends, who had long packed their skates and were leaving the shore for home, “I can never be beat on skates. In fact, I could out skate the devil!” 

   John continued skating and suddenly, from behind, he heard another set of skates. He turned around to see who was so close behind him but saw no one. John began skating faster and faster but the sound of someone else on skates stayed right on his tail. Suddenly, he saw a dark figure closing in on him. No matter how fast he tried to skate, the figure kept gaining, skating faster and faster. John then remembered his words and in fear, rushed as fast as he could toward the shore where, in haste, never removed his skates, but instead ran all the way home with them still attached. 

   John never again dared to challenge anyone, especially the devil, to a skating match.