CHANGELINGS
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Changelings in European folklore are babies of fairies, trolls, elves or other legendary creatures that are usually left in exchange for a human baby. The changelings are replaced with a human baby that has been left unprotected in his crib or cradle.

Changeling babies are usually ugly, weak, and sick. The fairy mother believes that her child will have a better chance of survival with a human mother. The human baby will be cared for by the fairy mother and will become a slave to the fairy household.

European folk lore explained how to protect your little ones from becoming a servant to the fairies and you raising a changeling. One way was to tie Rowan and mistletoe to the crib or cradle. A piece of iron shaped in the form of a knife could be placed under the mattress. The baby could have silver or horn rattles with bells to scare away the fairy. The protection only had to be place for the first 8 weeks of the baby’s life.

If a human had a changeling baby to raise the child would become more human however, it would remain ugly and sick. The changeling baby often had the gift of second sight and it is believed this is how second sight became a part of humans. When the changeling child became an adult and had children these offspring would be born with second sight which would be passed down from generation to generation.

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