When changeling tales began, in a time before modern understanding of psychiatry, they would have provided an explanation of a rare kind of mental illness.

They teach us what to fear: there is a universal horror at the idea of a fairy changeling, of a magic people who live nearby but hidden from view, who wish to take our children to give their own a better life.

Stories that endure in this way hold a very human kind of truth. Changelings exist within the ancient folklore of Europe, Africa, Russia, China. It wasnâ€™t too long ago that one had to refer to them out loud as â€˜The Good People,â€™ lest they hear you and become offended.Ĭhangeling tales â€“ such as Brewery of Eggshells which was part of the inspiration for Little Darlings â€“ occur in different forms across cultures. Even the word â€˜fairyâ€™ has lost its sinister edge. The less said about the original ending of T he Little Mermaid, the better. To make Sleeping Beauty suitable to modern audiences, the rape scene was removed some while back. Iâ€™ve always loved folk and fairy tales.Ī childish distraction that continued into adulthood, perhaps, but if you read enough of them you realise theyâ€™re really not for children. Perhaps at some point youâ€™ll wonder about me, about the beginnings of this book, and how I was first inspired to write it. It thrills me to imagine you, seated by a window, or at a desk, holding Little Darlings in your hands: turning it over, opening it, beginning to read. One eye on your children, and one eye out for the gentle-folk.â€™

Â€˜There are those who would tell you that you must keep

Little Darlings by Melanie Golding