Changelings: Where autism meets folklore
Fairies have long been a staple of European folklore and appear in many forms. One of the most insidious types of fairy is the changeling - a fae or elven child put in place of a kidnapped human baby (Britannica, 2023). Recent pop culture (including novels, TV and film) featuring changelings - often in a horror or mystery aspect - have seen this particular form of fae become better known. In Dungeons & Dragons, changelings are fae or humanoid creatures with the ability to shapeshift, and have been a playable race from edition 3.5 onwards.
A changeling from D&D 4e. (Source)
In folklore, changeling stories often describe mothers noticing a sudden change in their child, not realising the child has been replaced. Changelings were described as resisting or having a poor response to physical affection, difficulty expressing emotions, appearing to cry for no reason, being particularly obstinate, and even being completely unable to speak (Alonso, 2020). They were also said to demonstrate intelligence and maturity beyond their years, or to have some incredible creative talent such as singing or playing the fiddle (Whalen, 2023).
If you know anything about autism, these traits may sound oddly familiar. Autism advocates and neuroscientists alike have noted the similarities between changelings and the development of Autistic children in the modern day. These tales from folklore heavily suggest that autism has existed for a long time, pre-dating modern psychology, and thus the first ‘medical’ description of autism, by centuries. Myths and legends are often created to explain phenomena that people don’t understand - think of Persephone’s return from the Underworld bringing Spring in Greek mythology, or the Japanese thunder god Raijin who beats his drums to create thunder. Perhaps our European predecessors inadvertently created a tale to explain the behaviour of the Autistic folks among them. (Sadly, until someone invents a time machine, we can only speculate!)
Henry Füssli - Der Wechselbalg [The Changeling] (1780). (Source)
Historically, the changeling analogy was used in a negative sense, and many of the folktales surrounding this myth involved advice on ridding them from the household. These stories were often used to justify some pretty shocking behaviour towards neurodivergent children which I won’t go into here. (If you’re curious, this article by Stuart Vyse covers both historical and modern cases - but be prepared for mentions of ableism and child abuse.) However, despite its grisly origins, the term ‘changeling’ is slowly being reclaimed by some members of the Autistic community.
Photo by Bayram Musayev on Pexels.
For many of us, particularly late diagnosed adults like myself, we’ve spent a lot of our lives feeling like we’re not quite human. I often lost myself in fantasy novels, picturing myself as a witch, an elf, a mermaid… Or a cat. I loved stories where girls discovered they were actually a sorceress, or a shapeshifter, or the lost moon princess, and their place in the world suddenly made sense. As a child, I was aware that I wasn’t quite like my peers. There was something different about me, and even when I tried my best to seem normal, it never quite worked. I wanted to be something more than human, because then my differences would make sense. I’d have a reason for being the weird one. Something that meant I was special, rather than strange. I wanted my ‘Chosen One’ moment.
(As a side note, I also know Autistic adults who don’t identify with this feeling at all. There’s no right or wrong way to be Autistic, and if you’re fully onboard with your humanity, good for you!)
In light of my autism diagnosis, answers to many of my questions fell into place. Of course I felt different to the other kids - my brain has always been wired differently, and I experience the world in a unique way. My place in the world finally started to make sense. (I’m still feeling a bit ripped off that my Chosen One moment was me sitting in the boot of my car on a Zoom call with my psychiatrist, finding out that I’m Autistic. There was much less magic, costumery and fun animal companions than I’d hoped for.)
I love the concept of Autistic people as changelings. We deserve to be strange, otherworldly fae creatures who are just a little too special to blend in with the humans around us. Why not see our differences as something magical?
References
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, September 6). changeling. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/changeling-folklore
Alonso, J. R. (2020, June 22). The changelings: fairy tales about autism?. Mapping Ignorance. https://mappingignorance.org/2020/06/22/the-changelings-fairy-tales-about-autism/
Whalen, K. (2023, April 30). Changelings and the Folk History of Autism. Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN). https://awnnetwork.org/changelings-and-the-folk-history-of-autism/
