This is so bizarre and intriguing. So how many of these changelings would afflict a community, I wonder. And did they find that it was more prevalent in certain families (like families with genetic issues)?
There are numerous changeling stories and accounts collected by folklorists, and there are court cases referencing changelings. I could not locate any aggregate numbers of changelings, though. Not to give too much away for Part 2 in the upcoming Sept post, but yes, disease and illness definitely played a role in changeling legends.
This is so bizarre and intriguing. So how many of these changelings would afflict a community, I wonder. And did they find that it was more prevalent in certain families (like families with genetic issues)?
There are numerous changeling stories and accounts collected by folklorists, and there are court cases referencing changelings. I could not locate any aggregate numbers of changelings, though. Not to give too much away for Part 2 in the upcoming Sept post, but yes, disease and illness definitely played a role in changeling legends.