History Main / ChangelingTale

->''[+For the film, see {{Changeling}}. For the tabletop game, see [[ChangelingTheLost Changeling: The Lost]].+]''

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. See also MosesInTheBullrushes, where it's the peasant parents doing the switching. Compare [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], ''TheFrogPrince'', YearOutsideHourInside, and its inverse YearInsideHourOutside.

Not to be [[IThoughtItMeant confused with]] the lighter and softer ChangelingFantasy, which is a RagsToRiches or CinderellaSituation.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

[[AC:{{Folklore}}]]

* The idea of [[TheFairFolk fairies]] replacing healthy babies with (often sickly) [[ChangelingTale "changelings"]] (either their own offspring or an [[FridgeHorror enchanted piece of wood]] made [[{{Doppelganger}} to look like]] [[CreepyChild a baby]]) comes from traditional folklore. Some historians believe that the myth appeared as an explanation for what would now be attributed to physical deformities (cleft palettes, birthmarks, six fingers, blindness, etc), mental retardation (Down syndrome, Williams-Beuren syndrome), or behavioural disorders (ADHD, ADD, Kanner-syndrome autism, etc). Needless to say, [[OlderThanDirt that makes this]]...
** Folklore also lists ways to identify and "get rid" of a changeling: one of them involves taking the child and throwing it [[HanselAndGretel into a hearth fire]] or onto a hot oven... [[MortonsFork if it is indeed]] a changeling, the fairy will change into its true form and flee the house, never to be seen again. (Basically a socially acceptable excuse for poor mothers of disabled children to commit infanticide in medieval times.)

* RogerZelazny's 1980 novel ''Changeling'' and its sequel, ''Madwand''.

* The entire plot of Holly Black's ''Tithe'' is based around the main character finding out she is a changeling.

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. See also MosesInTheBullrushes, which is the inverse phenomenon. Compare [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], ''TheFrogPrince'', YearOutsideHourInside, and its inverse YearInsideHourOutside. Subtrope of {{Doppelganger}}, TheFairFolk, InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers, and very often SwitchedAtBirth.

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. See also MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles are sort of [[InvertedTrope reversed]].

Compare [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], ''TheFrogPrince'', YearOutsideHourInside, and its inverse YearInsideHourOutside.

Subtrope of {{Doppelganger}}, TheFairFolk, InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers, and very often SwitchedAtBirth.

Not to be [[IThoughtItMeant confused with]] the lighter and softer ChangelingFantasy, which is a RagsToRiches or CinderellaSituation.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

Compare [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], ''TheFrogPrince'', YearOutsideHourInside, and its inverse YearInsideHourOutside.

* {{Folk music}}ian Alexander James Adams was once known as Heather Alexander. His stage reason for this is that Heather was the changeling left in his place, of late returned to [[TheFairFolk Faerieland]]. This is pretty much in keeping with the themes of most of his songs.

Due to the inscrutable nature of the FairFolk returns policy, 1:[-to-]:1 replacement of your kids is not warranted.

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. Contrast MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles are mostly [[InvertedTrope reversed]].

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. Contrast MosesInTheBullrushes, which is the [[InvertedTrope inverse]] sort of scenario.

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. Contrast MosesInTheBullrushes, which is sort of the [[InvertedTrope reverse]].

Due to the inscrutable nature of the FairFolk returns policy, 1:to:1 replacement of your kids is not warranted.

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. Contrast MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles are somewhat [[InvertedTrope reversed]].

Before fairies went around [[{{Bowdlerisation}} granting wishes]] and bestowing {{Pimped Out Dress}}es to [[{{Disneyfication}} cinder maids]], they spent a lot of time doing some serious mischief. One favorite game of TheFairFolk was to snatch children, and replace them with a {{doppelganger}}, or changeling. According to most European {{fairy tales}}, boy babies and children with HairOfGold were in particular danger of being stolen. And possibly replaced by an [[RedHeadedStepchild unwanted child]].

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. A sister trope is MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles are [[InvertedTrope reversed]].

Subtrope of {{Doppelganger}}, TheFairFolk, InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers. See also SwitchedAtBirth.

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. A sister trope is MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles [[InvertedTrope are reversed]].

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. Related to MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles [[InvertedTrope are reversed]].

Subtrope of {{Doppelganger}}, TheFairFolk, InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers.

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. Contrast MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles [[InvertedTrope are reversed]].

For the film, see ''{{Changeling}}''. For the tabletop game, see ''[[ChangelingTheLost Changeling]]''.

Subtrope of TheFairFolk, SwitchedAtBirth, {{Doppelganger}}, InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers.

See also [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], ''TheFrogPrince'', YearOutsideHourInside, and its inverse YearInsideHourOutside.

The mother might be abducted, seduced, and impregnated by the [[CelticMythology Tuatha de Danaan]] (or local equivalent), resulting in a ([[CreepyChild possibly malevolent]]) fairy child. We know for a fact that {{adultery}} was [[BlatantLies not to blame]] in any of these incidents. Compare AlienAbduction.

Before fairies went around [[{{Bowdlerisation}} granting wishes]] and bestowing {{Pimped Out Dress}}es to [[{{Disneyfication}} cinder maids]], they spent a lot of time doing some serious mischief. One favorite game of TheFairFolk was to snatch children, and replace them with a {{doppelganger}}, or changeling. According to most European {{fairy tales}}, boy babies and children with HairOfGold were in particular danger of being stolen.

Often in traditional tales, the kid might be replaced by a [[{{Doppelganger}} look-alike]] -- possibly a RedHeadedStepchild.

Due to the inscrutable nature of the FairFolk returns policy, 1:1 replacement of your kids is not warranted.

Not to be [[IThoughtItMeant confused with]] the lighter and softer ChangelingFantasy, which is more of a CinderellaSituation.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

* There is another medical phenomenon that fuels this, known as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capgras_delusion the Capgras Delusion]]. Basically, a parent with a specific brain injury thinks that their child is not theirs, has been replaced by a {{doppelganger}} who [[TheOtherDarrin looks alike]], and cannot be convinced otherwise (in the age of mythology, [[HandWave elves]] would be a convenient explanation). It was referenced in ''The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat''.

Not to be [[IThoughtItMeant confused with]] the lighter and softer ChangelingFantasy, a type of RagsToRiches tale or CinderellaSituation.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

See also [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], YearOutsideHourInside, and its inverse YearInsideHourOutside.

See also TheFairFolk, SwitchedAtBirth; [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], YearOutsideHourInside, and its inverse YearInsideHourOutside.

* There is an actual medical phenomenon that fuels this, known as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capgras_delusion the Capgras Delusion]]. Basically, a parent with a specific brain injury thinks that their child is not theirs, has been replaced by a {{doppelganger}} who [[TheOtherDarrin looks alike]], and cannot be convinced otherwise (in the age of mythology, [[HandWave elves]] would be a convenient explanation). It was referenced in ''The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat''.

Not to be confused with the lighter and softer ChangelingFantasy, a type of RagsToRiches tale or CinderellaSituation.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

To deter fey folk, infant boys were often dressed as girls, and cold iron would be hung over cribs and doorways. Common items included horseshoes, bells, nails, and steel files. Scissors hung over the crib ''(!)'' were particularly common. [[WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong What Could Go Wrong?]]

Not to be confused with the much softer ChangelingFantasy, a type of RagsToRiches tale or CinderellaSituation.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

Not to be confused with the [[{{lighter and softer}} much softer]] ChangelingFantasy, a type of RagsToRiches tale or CinderellaSituation.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

Not to be confused with a CinderellaSituation or the much [[{{lighter and softer}} softer]] ChangelingFantasy, a type of RagsToRiches tale.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''TheParentTrap''.]]

Not to be confused with the ''much'' {{lighter and softer}} ChangelingFantasy, a type of RagsToRiches tale.[[hottip:**:In the vein of ''{{Cinderella}}'' and ''TheParentTrap''.]]

One of the OldestOnesInTheBook. Contrast MosesInTheBullrushes, where the roles are reversed.

MosesInTheBulrushes is the [[InvertedTrope inverse trope]] somewhere in [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism between]] this trope and that one. All three are OlderThanDirt.

To deter fey folk, infant boys were often dressed as girls, and cold iron would be hung over cribs and doorways. Common items included horseshoes, bells, nails, and steel files. Scissors hung over the crib [[WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong (!)]] were particularly common.

See also TheFairFolk and SwitchedAtBirth; compare [[ClassicalMythology Persephone]], YearOutsideHourInside, and [[YearInsideHourOutside its inverse]].

Often in traditional tales, the kid might be replaced by a {{Doppelganger}} -- possibly a RedHeadedStepchild.

Before fairies went around [[{{Bowdlerisation}} granting wishes]] and bestowing {{Pimped Out Dress}}es to [[{{Disneyfication}} cinder maids]], they spent a lot of time doing some serious mischief. One favorite game of TheFairFolk was to snatch children, and replace them with a {{doppelganger}}, or {{changeling}}. According to most European {{fairy tales}}, boy babies and children with HairOfGold were in particular danger of being stolen.