During the reign of King Stephen in 12th-century England, legend has it that the inhabitants of Woolpit, in Suffolk, were surprised by the sudden appearance of two green-skinned children who could not speak their language. According to Historic UK, the children — a boy and a girl — were taken to the house of Sir Richard de Calne where they refused every meal the man offered. The children found beans in his garden, however, and they ate them straight away. While some sources describe them as green beans, others refer to them as broad beans or fava beans.

In one version of the story, both children stayed with Calne for years. Slowly, they learned the new language and changed their diet, making their green color disappear. When they learned English, they were asked where they come from and said: “We are inhabitants of the land of St. Martin, who is regarded with peculiar veneration in the country which gave us birth” (via Historic UK). After the revelation, Calne decided to baptize them, and the boy dies shortly after that. Years later, the girl, who was named Agnes, married Richard Barre, archdeacon of Ely.

In another version, the boy gets ill and dies after they arrived in town. The girl learns how to speak English, and she explains how they got there, saying that they were taking care of their family’s cattle when they heard a noise and were caught in a wolf pit. Some people also say that they got lost while herding the cattle (via Mental Floss).

Were the children real or only a legend?

Culture Club/Getty Images