Since there were no articles last week, this article will have TWO stories!!
I’m sure you have all heard of the Appalachian Rules:
If you see something, no you didn’t.
If you hear something, no you didn’t.
If something whistles at you, you don’t whistle back.
But what happens if you ignore the rules? What will happen if you whistle back or interact with the so-called “wildlife” in the Appalachian Mountains? This is the legend of Hungry Mother State Park, located in Marion, Virginia.
The legend of Hungry Mother State Park began when a pioneer woman named Molly Marley and her child were abducted by a Native American tribe and taken back to their camp. After being held hostage for days, Molly and her baby were able to escape and wandered through the woods looking for food and shelter for days on end. Eventually, Molly collapsed at the bottom of what is now known as “Molly’s Knob,” and her child continued to wander the woods looking for food, mumbling the only words they knew: “Hungry Mother.” It is debated whether or not the child was found and helped, or if they passed away as well, but Molly was found deceased at the foot of the mountain.
The legend of Hungry Mother’s Park is a devastating tale of a mother’s undying love for her child and her desperate attempt to survive and provide a better life for her child. Legend has it that if you are floating on the river or walking in the woods, you will hear the cries of Molly Marley and her child calling out for their hungry mother.
The Lady in Black
The rules from before are still the same. But what happens if you ignore the rules? What will happen if you whistle back or interact with the so-called “wildlife” in the Appalachian Mountains? This is the legend of The Lady in Black, located in Jewell Ridge, Virginia.
The legend of the Lady in Black stems from a story that took place all the way back in the hills of Jewell Ridge, Virginia. The John Joyce Spring was a popular visiting place at the bottom of Tipple Hill. Many children enjoyed frolicking around the spring, and adults gathered there to get water. It was, unfortunately, a very treacherous and steep location. On the same road as the spring, truck drivers and average commuters report that, often, there will be a young woman, dressed in black, hitchhiking. The woman always sits in the backseat and never speaks. When the drivers get to their destination, the woman is gone, and the backseat is empty.
This is an eerie tale with no actual cause behind it. Was the woman murdered near or at the spring? Or is she just a spirit visiting a place she used to frequent during her lifetime? Although we may never know the truth, this story is still one that will give you chills.
Edited and Reviewed by Kien Powell