Green children from Vulpit

In the County of Suffolk, in Great Britain there is a small village under the name of Vulpit who has unusual and mysterious history. The name is translated as “Wolf Holes”, and on the coat of arms of the village the wolf and two children – the girl and the boy is represented. Exactly here in the 12th century in 112 kilometers from London the last wolf of England died, having got in one of numerous wolf holes. In the 12th century, at the time of the king Stefan, there was a strange incident here. Once here two small children appeared. It happened in the hot August afternoon during harvesting. They appeared from a deep hole which was dug out for catching of wolves – from here and there was a name of the village. The boy and the girl, having left a hole, went to people. The fact that skin of kids had a greenish shade was surprising, and on them there were strange clothes which are cut out from unknown matter. Children were very frightened and swung hands so as if drove away bees. The look they threw peasants into confusion, however having recovered, reapers took away them to the village and took away to the land owner Richard Kane. Having a little calmed down, children began to speak unclear language in which the hissing and whistling sounds prevailed. They spoke shrill high pitched voices. Inhabitants did not understand words though in those days in England peasants were familiar to some extent with all languages of the next people. Here well remembered Normans and thanes with the Scandinavian adverbs, heard French of knights, did not forget the German Anglo-Saxon adverb, learned the Celtic dialects of Scots, Irish, Welshmen, and priests knew Latin. When children were taken away to the village, they began to cry and refused to eat something though they were very hungry. Richard was very surprised with a type of children, however having seen enough of them, ordered to servants to prepare the best delicacies, but children refused everything. So, they starved several days until once peasants brought a harvest of the beans broken with stalks to the house. The boy and the girl very much became interested in beans, but could not find a fasolinka in any way. It seemed that they know what is it and understand that it can be eaten. When one of servants showed them where there is a food, they were accepted it greedy is and several months ate only it. Richard Keyn was the kind person and allowed children to remain in the lock. After several months the boy died, he was younger the than the sister for two years and did not manage to adapt to local life. Gradually became reserved and refused food therefore soon ached and died. The girl survived and after a baptism received a name of Agnes. But the religion remained for it something unclear, and some sacraments and a mass only gave an inconvenience. Gradually she learned to eat ordinary food and its skin lost a greenish shade. She was a blonde with blue eyes and light skin. Agnes easily adapted to local life, grew up, married, learned English and for many years lived in the County of Norfolk. The girl conceived a liking for dances and wine, actively flirted with men. Ralf in the work mentioned that it was very willful and whimsical, but, despite it, the husband and children very much loved it. There are sources in which it was said that her name was Agnes Barre and she married the Supreme ambassador Henry II. Also it was said that they gave birth to the son – the count Ferrers. It is unknown what such data are based on. The girl remembered the origin little. However she told that she came with the brother from Saint Martin’s Earth where all inhabitants – Christians were also green color. According to her there was eternal twilight, and the sun never shone. Also she told that their house was located “on other side of the big river”. Agnes told that they with the brother encountered a cave, grazing herd of sheep. From there the ringing of bells was published, they went to this sound and entered a cave. There, according to her, she and the brother got lost and only after a while found a way out. But, having left a cave, they were blinded by bright light. Children were frightened and wanted to return back, but did not find an entrance to a cave. The girl added also that Saint Martin’s Earth can be seen at a great distance that it looked as the shining country on other river bank. Agnes with the permission of Richard went to look for a way back, however could not find a way back. But there is no wonder, because by order of Richard the hole which left children was filled up. He was afraid of the fact that for the brother and the sister the armed people can come. The girl knew nothing about it. This history was stated in two sources by Ralf Koggskhollsky and William Nyyuburgsky who were authoritative chroniclers and historians of an era of the Middle Ages, worthy trust. Works were created approximately in 1220. An event it was also mentioned in work of the bishop Francis Godwin in whom he refers to William’s work. William lived in the Yorkshire monastery and was an objective critic, he doubted about truthfulness of this history. It included it in the chronicle with a reluctance. And here Ralf was based in the chronicle on words of Richard Kane in whose house Agnes worked as the servant. Many details indicated that all stated facts original. Ralf Koggskhollsky lived in Essex that was near the County of Suffolk. Therefore he could communicate directly and to other participants of events. Both authors in the works described incident only many years later. It is possible even that the event took place during government not of the king Stefan, and the king Henry II. All history of England to the death of the king Stefan was stated in “Anglo-Saxon chronicles” where the huge number of stories about the miracles known contains in those days. There is no information on “green children” there. Tried to solve secret of an origin of “green children” and location of quite strange country many, the set of various assumptions was made. According to one version children could get to Vulpit from copper mines in which child labor was used in those days. Skin and hair of children from continuous contact with copper really could get a greenish shade. Continuous contact with copper can cause any changes in appearance of the person. There are modern examples of such phenomenon. But how then to be with material of which the clothes of children, with Agnes’s story and that they could not eat usual human food were made? Besides haricot was one of the most widespread cultural plants in the Middle Ages. Also courageous versions expressed that children could be natives of another dimension, the underground world or in general aliens who absolutely incidentally got to Earth. Some researchers considered that the cave on which the boy with the girl got to our world was something like a footpath which connected Earth to other planet. Or footpaths which was laid between the past, present and future. As it is paradoxical, but such hypothesis explains everything, if they came from another dimension, then will be enough only minor genetic changes that hair and skin gained usual human color. Green children quite could be a product of genetic engineering which is possible in the future our world or the world existing “parallel to” Earth. Paul Harris made today a hypothesis which seems quite real. He assumed that the boy and the girl lived in Saint Martin’s village which was located on the river bank Lark, is not so far from Vulpit. According to stories parents of the boy and the girl died of plague and their trustee – a certain count Norfolk – wished to take control of their inheritance. For this purpose it poured in food to children arsenic. For some reason poison did not work, but it is known that skin becomes green at poisoning with arsenic. The count did not begin to wait long and brought them to the wood where stopped dying. They got lost and lived some time there. Also can quite be that in the wood their skin and got a green shade. Because of a constant lack of food can develop хлороз is the such form of an anemia causing a pozeleneniye of integuments. Children were included into mine once and from it already got on a glade near the village Vulpit. It is the theory it is similar to truth, but all the same there is a question, – what language was spoken by the brother with the sister and why none of locals knew it? Presence of children foreigners in the medieval village – it is very strange. Besides no exit to the village Vulpit was had by any of mines of the Setfordsky wood. And maybe, such children never existed? Despite trust to words of authoritative chroniclers, this history can quite be a fruit of rich imagination of a certain storyteller of England in the 12th century. A story about these children can be just one of numerous legends of that time. Then it is quite clear why hair and skin of children were green – was considered that it is color of fairies. In England there is a legend of Green Jack who was the mythical being representing fertility and spring. Green children could be just continuation of this fairy tale. Today it is difficult to tell, this history because in medieval England trusted in miracles much more willingly, than in the modern world is how truthful. This history is confirmed only by two sources of the 12th century. A secret is not revealed, it even generated a set of imitations. If it is not possible to find though any traces of successors of Agnes and documentary evidences, then a story about “green children” and will be one of the most important riddles of the English folklore.