That’s why I occasionally like to put together this little game. Here’s how to play. Presented here and on following pages are four stories of the strange and unexplained. But only three of them are true (according to the people who experienced them). One story was invented by me, your About.com Guide. Your job is to read all four of the stories and then vote for the one you think is false. Good luck!
Story #1: The Rat King
There are many stories of feral children – children who have been raised in the wild apart from civilization. Some have lived among and raised by wolves, some by monkeys. When they are finally discovered and “rescued” by humanity, they behave and eat like their adopting animal parents, taking many years to adapt to life with people.
Perhaps the strangest of these cases is that of a boy, later named Jacobi, who was found living in a remote cave in Hungary in 1916. Nothing is known about his real parentage, although it is speculated that he was abandoned in infancy.
In October, 1916, three hunters were seeking shelter from a sudden storm and found a cave in a small foothill. Hearing strange noises from the back of the dark cave, they decided to stealthfully explore with oil lanterns and shotguns in hand. They were astonished to find a boy, naked and filthy, squatting on his haunches, gaping at them in terror.
As they approached the boy, he squealed loudly, at which point several large rats came scurrying out to attack the hunters. Several shotgun blasts killed or disbursed them. Despite the boy’s biting and clawing, the men were able to pull the boy, who appeared to be about seven years old, out of the mess of rat droppings and out of the cave.
In the hands of the authorities, Jacobi was found to be unable to walk upright or speak. He only managed rat-like squeals and would only eat bits of fruit or raw meat presented to him. It was guessed that the boy had been abandoned in the cave where he was subsequently adopted by a pack of rats. Apparently, for years the rodents brought him food and raised them as one of their own – perhaps their “king.” Whenever Jacobi was shown a rat in a cage he would squeal with delight and drool uncontrollably.
It took many years in human surroundings for Jacobi to learn to walk in a semi-upright posture and to speak. He died at the estimated age of 21 from a flu.
Next story: Music of the Angels
