n the twelfth century, at the time of King Stephen, there was a small village in Suffolk called Wulfpit, because of its ditches (or wolf-pits, as some think). Two children, a boy and a girl, came out of these pits at harvest time. They were completely green from head to foot; even their clothes were green.

ome harvesters, who were gathering their crops, spotted the two figures wandering around and took them into the village. Plenty of people gathered round the frightened pair, staring at them in amazement. The children were taken indoors and offered food, but they refused to eat. So for a few days they fasted until they were fainting from hunger. Luckily some beans had recently been harvested, and the children grabbed the stalks, but finding no pith inside they cried. A man opened a pod and offered them the pith which they took. The children fed on this until they got used to bread.

radually they changed from green to a more normal colour and learned our language. When they could speak they explained who they were and where they came from. In answer to questions they replied that they came from the land of Saint Martin. They didn't know where this was, or how they got to Woolpit. They said that in their land there were churches, and that another land could be seen over a river; also the sun did not rise very high. All they could remember was that they were watching their father's herds in the fields when they heard bells, and afterwards found themselves in Woolpit.

he boy died of an illness, but the girl later married a man from Kings Lynn.