nabilitytocareforanotherchildinanageefamiliesandfewresources—abrutalmethodofpopulationtrol.Forweeks,TessandIpuzzledoverhowparentsdecidedwhichchildtospareandwhichtoabandon.Dr.Laurel,whotaughttheseminar,suggestedthatmythandfolklhtprovideiinganswers,andthatshowIstumbledacrossthearticle.

    Prowliackslateoneevening,IfoundourlibraryssolecopyoftheJournalofMythandSociety,afairlyretpublicationwhichhadlastedagrandtotalofthreeissues.Iflippedthroughthepagesofthisjournal,rathercasuallystandingtherebymylonesome,whenthenamesprangfromthepageandgrabbedmebythethroat.ThomasMes.Ahetitleofhisarticlewaslikeakheheart:"TheStolenChild."

    Sonofabitch.

    MesstheorywasthatinmedievalEurope,parentswhogavebirthtoasicklychildmadeasciousdecisionto"reclassify"theirinfantassomethingotherthanhuman.Theycouldclaimthatdemonsor"goblins"hadeinthemiddleofthenightandstoleruebabyabehiheirownsickly,misshapen,orcrippledoffspring,leavingtheparentstoabandonorraisethedevil.Called"fairychildren"orgelingsinEngland,"enfantsges"inFrand"Wechselbalgen"inGermany,thesedevilchildreionsandrationalizationsforababysfailuretothrive,orforsomeotherphysientalbirthdefect.Ifonehadagelinginthehome,onewouldnotbeexpectedtokeepandraiseitasonesown.Parentswouldhavetherighttoberidofthedeformedcreature,andtheycouldtakethechildandleaveitoutsideintheforestht.Ifthegoblinsrefusedtoretrieveit,thenthepoorunfortunatewoulddiefromexposurehtbecarriedoffbyawildthing.

    Thearticler