Green Children of Woolpit Visitors from Another World

Once upon a time, there was a folk tale called The Green Children of Woolpit. It's the story of two strange children mysteriously appearing in the wolf-pit of a small English village, spoke a different language, and were not used to sunlight. Even stranger: they refused to eat anything but raw beans and had green skin!

Where did they come from? Why are they green? Why are they speaking in an unknown language? Will they live happily ever after? To find answers to such questions, this 12th century English folk tale deserves to be retold for the fact checking generation.

This is a Re-telling of The Green Children of Woolpit

Once upon a time in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk in 12th Century England, during the reign of either King Stephen from 1135 to 1154 AD or King Henry II from 1154 to 1189 AD, the story of the green children of Woolpit were recorded in separate, but near similar chronicles of two scholars.

One was written by Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall and was included in the Chronicon Anglicanum (English Chronicle) manuscript, which he took over from 1187 until his last signed entry in 1224. In his version, the children were brother and sister, who was found by the villagers near the mouth of a wolf-pit. They were human in form, all except for the green colour of their skin. The children were later on brought to the house of a knight named Sir Richard de Calne, where they were offered shelter and food.

However, they wouldn't touch anything served to them despite great hunger, except for raw beans. In fact, it was all that they ate for a very long time. The two, however, wouldn't share a similar fate. The boy wasn't able to adapt to their new life in Woolpit, fell into depression, refused to eat, and eventually died.

The girl on the other hand, gradually grew used to eating different kinds of food. As a result, her skin lost its green tinge and she was able to blend into village society. After learning to speak English, she described where she was from as veiled in the perpetual dusk with almost no sunlight. She revealed that where she's from everything is green, including the people like her and her brother.

When asked about how the two of them ended up in the wolf-pit, she said they were watching over their flocks when they heard the melodic sound of bells coming from inside a cavern. When they followed the sounds their senses were overwhelmed by the blinding light of the sun and the sudden change in temperature and when they came to they were in the wolf-pits. They were startled by the noise around them and tried going back where they came from but the entrance of the cavern wasn't there anymore. The girl continued to stay with the knight that took them in, as Abbot Ralph affirms, noting in his records that he personally heard this from Sir Richard de Calne and his family. He also mentions that she received the rites of baptism, implying that her actions and beliefs now follow the moral standards of the times. But ironically, he also points out that she "was rather loose and wanton in her conduct."

The second version was by English historian William of Newburgh, who was, at first — according to Thomas Keightley's 1884 book, The Fairy Mythology — a sceptic. But, after he was "at length overcome by the weight of evidence" (although what evidence it was he doesn't make any mention in his chronicles) wrote about the green children in Historia Rerum Anglicarum (History of English Affairs).

While William's version shares a lot of similar details with Abbot Ralph's — like the sudden appearance of the children, the boy getting sick and eventually dying, and the girl is telling the villagers where they were from — there are a few details that either wasn't in the first version or entirely contradicts it. 

In William's records, the girl said they were from a twilight place called St. Martin's Land, named after their patron saint. She describes the place as having many churches with its residents of the Christian faith. She says that St. Martin's Land also doesn't receive much sunlight, but from across the river, they can see a very bright country. And after crossing the river and cutting through the dense forest, they found themselves at Woolpit. In this version, the girl married Richard Barre, an ambassador of King Henry II, changed her name to Agnes Barre, and settled down in King's Lynn at Norfolk.

However, some scholars refute this information, citing that the only Richard Barre in King Henry II's court was a former archdeacon, who later on retired as a canon, which makes it highly unlikely that he ever married.

And in both versions, that's how the story abruptly and anti-climatically ends. 

We're given no chance to ask "Why?" as we're bombarded with one event after another, continuously demanding for our unquestioning acceptance of faeries, trolls, pigs that build houses, and in this case, mysterious green children. It's this bare bones nature of storytelling that makes folk tales too irresistible for our own imaginations to go into the meaning-making mode and try to fill in the gaps in the story. What's kept and what's added to the story as it's passed through generations keep folk tales in a perpetual state of transformation, giving it its literary longevity.

So, St. Martin's Land, as Paul Harris speculated in the Fortean in 1998, could be Fornham St. Martin, a town north of Bury St. Edmunds. The cavern in Abbot Ralph's story could've been any of the entrance to the flint mines in the area, and the bells they heard could've been from the sound of neolithic flints inside the mines.

The children could've been Flemish immigrants, who fled from Fornham St. Martin to Woolpit through the mines and across Thetford Forest to escape persecution from King Henry II. Which also explains why they spoke in a different language. The sun in William's story could've been blocked by the tall trees in Thetford Forest. And the wide river separating St. Martin's Land and Woolpit could've been the Lark river. Or it could be as Robert Burton hypothesized in his book The Anatomy of Melancholy, that the children "fell from Heaven," set forth in motion the theory that they're extraterrestrials. This was picked up by astronomer Duncan Lunan in 1996, whose theory was that the children accidentally teleported to Earth from another planet. Which, following all Sci-Fi tropes, would also explain the green colour of their skin. Of course, it could also be that they were affected by hypochromic anemia. Originally known as chlorosis, it's a condition where the red blood cells are not only smaller but paler than normal.

It's often caused by poor diet, and lack of nutrition, resulting in the reduced delivery of healthy red blood cells to tissues is what gives the skin a green hue. Chlorosis is a very likely explanation why they had green skin, considering that the girl lost her skin's green tinge as soon as she started eating other types of food aside from raw beans. But as fun, as it is to find tangible pieces of evidence to prove that the folk tale of the green children of Woolpit is real, the real fun is deciphering the symbolisms used in the story. In literature, green is commonly used to describe two sides of the same coin. It can be used to describe sickness, as in when we say sickly green. But we can also use it to represent health and vitality, as in when we say fresh greens.

In Celtic mythology, green is associated with the Green Man, a decorative architectural motif used in pagan temples and later on also in medieval churches, who represents the cycle of life. Shakespeare used green to symbolize young love, as in the green pastorals of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Or jealousy, as in the green-eyed monster in Othello. Green is also the colour of permission, as in to get the green light. As in it's okay to believe in folk tales. It also means go, as in go ahead. 

---

Sources:

The Green Children of Woolpit: the 12th-century legend of visitors from another world, http://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/green-children-woolpit-12th-century-legend-visitors-another-world-002347

THE GREEN CHILDREN OF WOOLPIT - INVESTIGATING A MEDIEVAL MYSTERY, https://eclectariumshuker.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-green-children-of-woolpit.html

The Green Children of Woolpit, http://brian-haughton.com/ancient-mysteries-articles/green-children-of-woolpit/

1135~1154: The Green Children of Woolpit, http://anomalyinfo.com/Stories/11351154-green-children-woolpit

The Mysterious Green Children…, http://www.paranoiamagazine.com/2016/11/mysterious-green-children/

The Irresistible Psychology of Fairy Tales, https://newrepublic.com/article/126582/irresistible-psychology-fairy-tales

The challenge of retelling Grimms' fairy tales, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/sep/21/grimms-fairy-tales-philip-pullman

Jung and the Fairy Tale, Or Nosce Te Ipsum, http://psyartjournal.com/article/show/kardaun-jung_and_the_fairy_tale_or_nosce_te_ipsu

Once Upon a Time: The lure of the fairy tale, http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/07/23/once-upon-a-time-3

Into the Woods, 5: Wild Folklore, http://windling.typepad.com/blog/2013/05/wild-folklore.html

HISTORY OF THE GREEN MAN, http://www.greenmanenigma.com/history.html

Representations of the Color Green in Shakespeare by Matsuda Misako,http://www.seijo.ac.jp/pdf/falit/225/225-3.pdf

“How green!”: The Meanings of Green in Early Modern England and in The Tempest, https://erea.revues.org/4465

Insane Things People Have Done Through History to Achieve Eternal Youth

Man is in an endless pursuit to achieve immortality. For as far as mankind’s written history allows us to recall, humanity has always been fascinated in finding ways to extend our lifespan in the hopes of slowing, if not putting a permanent stop, to our body’s inevitable biological aging process. For some, our attempts at prolonging life is limited to the more conventional method of leading a healthy lifestyle by eating nourishing food, exercising and maintaining a positive and tranquil state of mind. 

However, at several points in our past, we find people who have pushed the boundaries of human creativity and imagination in their attempt to gain eternal youth. From a more scientific standpoint that we have today, some of the lengths these individuals had taken during their lifetime to become immortal are not only deemed as completely misguided but could also be regarded as bordering on insanity.  

And so, for this video, let’s enumerate the insane things people have done throughout history to achieve immortality or eternal youth. 

#1 —  Bathing in Sour Donkey Milk

Cleopatra came to be known in history as the last Ptolemaic queen of Egypt and is arguably the most famous member of the Ptolemaic dynasty’s royal line. But other than her role in the Roman political conflicts that eventually led to the downfall of the last dynasty of ancient Egypt, she also gained renown for her striking beauty and irresistible allure. As to how she managed to retain her youthful and brilliant glow, Cleopatra regularly bathed in sour donkey milk. In the ancient times, the donkey’s milk was used as some kind of chemical peel, as the lactic acid it contains peels off the topmost layer of the human skin. The queen was also believed to be fascinated with using other means to maintain and enhance her physical appearance such as utilizing crocodile feces as a rudimentary form of makeup foundation. 

#2 — Drinking the Blood of Gladiators

The Romans were very creative when it came to coming up with various and sometimes revolting concoctions in an attempt to improve their health or extend their lifespan. One example of an unpleasant habit that the Romans largely practiced for centuries is drinking the blood of gladiators. As people who fought to the death for a living, gladiators were highly-regarded for their bravery, strength and vitality. And it was believed that those who would want to inherit a gladiator’s power must drink the warrior’s warm blood in order to consume his essence and soul. In fact, some people who suffered from epilepsy at the time considered the blood of gladiators as an effective cure for their affliction. Their blood was such a hot commodity during this era that people would rush down into the arena and sip a vanquished fighter’s blood straight from his arm or throat to absorb his power. There were also concession stands that made a lucrative living by selling the blood of these gladiators while the blood servings were still warm. 

#3 — Consumption of Immortality Pills & Elixirs of Life

The Western world was not the only civilization interested in finding the answer to attaining eternal youth. Imperial China’s history is also filled with tales of men or groups of people who have dedicated much of their life in concocting immortality pills and elixirs of life that would grant ceaseless existence, be it physical or spiritual. Many Chinese alchemists have dared to make their own formulas of pills and elixirs that could supposedly cease and potentially even reverse the process of human aging. These efforts were largely supported by several emperors as well as members of the noble bloodline who hoped death would not be able to take away their power, influence and legacy. 

The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Shi Huang, for example, was not just known for being the first ruler to unify China; he was also known for his obsession in finding the key to immortality. He sent people away to look in different parts of his vast empire for a “real” Elixir of Life that would grant him eternal life. He even took immortality pills which were formulated by his alchemists. In the end, the emperor died young at 39 years of age and the most likely cause of his demise was mercury poisoning, perhaps from all the immortality pills he, consumed during his brief life. 

Unfortunately, the dream of living forever was not exclusive to Qin Shi Huang. Many other emperors of China that came after him also regularly consumed immortality pills and drank elixirs which contained toxic substances, and instead of extending their lives, these pills and elixirs only shortened the duration of their respective reigns.

#4 — Self-Mummification

Mummification is the process which involves the intentional or incidental preservation of a deceased’s skin, flesh and organs. But not all mummified bodies were preserved after their death; some people in the past deliberately commenced the preservation of their corporeal body while they were still alive in order to achieve a superior and more enlightened state of being.  

“Sokushinbutsu” is an ascetic practice of Buddhist monks largely performed in Japan which is believed to have started sometime in the 11th century. This extreme Buddhist practice of asceticism involved the shunning of all worldly pleasures to the point that the monks would enter a process of self-mummification even while they were still alive. The Sokushinbutsu requires a period of around 3,000 days up to ten years before the entire process is completed by devoted monks. They would have to follow a very strict diet referred to as “mokujikigyo,” which literally translates to “eating a tree.” This means that the monk could not eat anything more than the seeds and resins that could be gathered in the mountains, and must abstain from eating cereals. Eventually, these monks would fast and meditate for longer periods of time until they completely starve themselves, denying themselves even the consumption of liquids. Even in this weakened condition, they would continue to be in a state of “jhana” or meditation until they die. Their dehydrated bodies would become naturally preserved mummies that are still revered and venerated by many followers of Buddhism. Some people today even still regard these mummified monks as very much alive although their bodies are said to be in a deep meditative trance. 

Hundreds of Buddhist monks in Japan attempted to achieve this extreme form of meditative state, but only 24 monks so far were granted the status of being the “Living Buddha.” Eventually, the practice of Sokushinbutsu was outlawed by the government of Japan in the late 19th century although self-mummification in their culture still endured until the 20th century. At present, however, Sokushinbutsu is no longer an advocated Buddhist practice in the country. 

#5 — Drinking Gold Chloride

Among the most notable cases of people who have pursued eternal youth is that of Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of King Henry II of France. The king’s official wife was Catherine de’ Medici but he found much comfort in having the widow Diane de Poitiers as his companion even though she was 20 years older than him. History books wrote of her youthful appearance and her porcelain-like skin that never seemed to fade even as she grew older. 

King Henry II’s mistress took great lengths to ensure that she maintained her physique. She kept in shape by swimming daily, horseback riding and hunting. However, her beauty secret that ensured permanence of her great white skin is her regular consumption of an elixir which contained a mixture of gold chloride and diethyl ether. This concoction was very popular at French court and was believed at the time to be an effective anti-aging treatment for its ability to harness the power of the sun and transfer it to its drinker. 

However, Diane de Poitiers’s obsession with keeping her youthful beauty came at a great cost, as her desire to look forever young and the remedy she resorted to in order to preserve her appearance was the one that slowly and eventually killed her. At age 66, her daily dose of gold chloride indeed made her look half her actual age, but she is also thought to have succumbed to the secondary effect of the concoction – that is, chronic gold poisoning. 

Even in modern times, man remains engrossed in its quest for eternal youth and prolonging human life. Most people have chosen to stick with more conventional methods such as maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, while others have turned to the breakthroughs of medical science for more radical options that would allow them to enhance their beauty and cling onto their youth for as long as possible. The priorities of modern science, of course, are beyond maintaining a person’s young and beautiful aesthetics. The field of medical science is also fixated with making the human body impervious to deterioration by finding a way to permanently suppress cell death and consequently achieve actual physical immortality. 

There’s no certainty when humanity may successfully unlock the secret to eternal life and perpetual youth, but should the time come that we do become immortals, what do you think would life mean for us then if we consciously know that we can never die? Perhaps that is the bigger mystery we should try and answer first.

---

SOURCES:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4577860/Man-s-craziest-attempts-history-cheat-death.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_dynasty
http://hippocratescode.com/epilepsy/
http://io9.gizmodo.com/5917027/powdered-mummy-gladiator-blood-and-other-historical-medicines-made-from-human-corpses
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12953616
http://www.allday.com/these-real-people-actually-tried-to-achieve-immortality-2180824159.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pill_of_Immortality
http://io9.gizmodo.com/7-ways-that-people-died-trying-to-become-immortal-1691947345
http://nifymag.com/the-craziest-things-people-have-ever-done-throughout-history-to-try-and-cheat-death/#.WVcLKoiGPb0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sokushinbutsu
http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-gruesome-and-excruciating-practice-of-mummifying-yo-1515905564
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/6865939/French-kings-mistress-poisoned-by-gold-elixir.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1236916/Dying-look-good-French-kings-mistress-killed-gold-elixir-youth.html