A Medieval X-File
Sometime in the 12th century, during the reign of King Stephen, villagers in Woolpit, Suffolk, discovered two terrified children standing by one of the wolf-trapping pits that gave the village its name. They were brother and sister, dressed in strange clothing made of unfamiliar material. But the most shocking detail was their skin: it was completely green. They spoke a language no one could understand and refused to eat any food offered to them, until they found some raw broad beans, which they devoured eagerly.
St. Martin’s Land
The boy eventually sickened and died, but the girl survived, learned English, and eventually lost her green skin tone. She told a story that has baffled historians for centuries. She claimed they came from a place called “St. Martin’s Land,” a subterranean world where the sun never shone, and everything was bathed in a permanent twilight. They had been herding their father’s cattle when they heard a loud noise (like bells) and suddenly found themselves in the bright sunlight of Woolpit.
- The Flemish Theory: Historians suggest the children might have been Flemish immigrants whose parents were killed. “Green” could be a translation error for “Greenstead” or a symptom of chlorosis (green sickness) caused by malnutrition.
- The Subterranean World: Folklore enthusiasts argue the story shares parallels with Celtic legends of the fairy folk or beings from the “Hollow Earth.”
- Arsenic Poisoning: Another theory posits the children were poisoned with arsenic (which can turn skin green) by a wicked uncle trying to claim their inheritance, and they were abandoned in the woods.
The Legacy: The girl, later named Agnes, lived a normal life, but the mystery of her origin remains. Were they refugees, victims of abuse, or truly visitors from a twilight dimension?