What does changeling mean?

Answer 1

Definitions of the word Changeling 1. Given to change; inconstant. 2. A child secretly exchanged for another. 3. A changeable, fickle person. 4. A person of deficient intelligence 5. One who, or that which, is left or taken in the place of another, as a child exchanged by fairies. A Changeling is a being in West European folklore and folk religion, typically described as the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature that has been secretly left in the place of a human child. The apparent changeling could also be a stock, an enchanted piece of wood that would soon appear to grow sick and die. A human child might be taken due to many factors: to act as a servant, the love of a human child, or malice. Most often it was thought that fairies exchanged the children. Changelings were said to feed on their mothers and to leave odd bruises in the back of their necks as a result. The feeding process could take weeks, until the mother was drained dry. Anything or anyone that prohibited the Changeling's nutrition would be mercilessly killed. Some Norwegian tales tells that the change was made to prevent innbreeding, to give trolls and humans new blood, humans were given children with enormous strength as a reward. Simple charms, such as an inverted coat or open iron scissors left where the child sleeps, were thought to ward them off. The best way to get rid of a changeling is to threaten it with iron.