The original changeling myths were used to explain the existence of mentally disabled children, and then justify the abandonment or mistreatment of these children.

Now, I understand that no one wants to hear that, because it's disgusting, and dispicable, and dehumanizing —and a lot of other words that'd don't start with D— but I have a good reason for bringing it up.

I have a rare metabolic disorder, called phenylketonuria (PKU for short), that, if untreated, results in irreversible brain damage, and was historically most prominent in places like Turkey, which has the single highest rates of any country in the world.

It's genetic, and it is often cited as a basis of the changeling myths, as the symptoms of suspected changelings are quite similar to those of untreated PKU.

PUNCHLINE: I AM A REAL CHANGELING!!!

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