What’s the real scoop on the “comprachicos”? Supposedly they roamed Europe centruries ago, kidnapped little kids, then mutilated them so they could sell them off as novelties to the rich. Is there any proof (from a reliable source) this really went on? Or is it a tall tale?
I had never heard of this before, and the only allusions showing up are in a story by Victor Hugo, and in writings by Ayn Rand that compare present mutilation of chiildren’s minds with this supposed mutilation of bodies: http://www.stormy.org/edcompr.htm
The word shows up in a couple of dictionaries but it’s hard to tell if it really happened. The idea of growing a child in the shape of a vase is pretty creepy.