Accounts & Versions

Sometime during the twelfth century in England, two monks living in different parts of the country each wrote down a story about green-skinned children who appeared near the Suffolk village of Woolpit during the harvest.

  • De Viridibus Pueris in Historia Rerum Anglicarum by William of Newburgh – Latin | English
  • De Quodam Puero et Puella de Terra Emergentibus in Chronicon Anglicanum by Ralph of Coggeshall – Latin | English

Ever since then, people have been fascinated with the story and have tried to explain it, debunk it, discuss it, retell it, embellish it, contextualize it, or just share it. This list is presented in no particular order and is not meant to be exhaustive. Please consider it a starting point if you’re curious about the story and its many versions and interpretations.