Arcana Microcosmi

by Alexander Ross. Book II, Chapter 4, pp. 111-116

II. That some children have been nourished by wild beasts, many histories do assure us: Plutarch, Cicero, and others tell us of Romulus and Remus, who were nourished by a shee Wolf. Justin assures us, that Cyrus suckt the duggs of a Bitch. Pausanias in his Corinthiacks, writes, that Aesculapius was educated by a Hinde. Aeian in his various Histories, speaks of a Bear which gave suck to Atalanta, being exposed; of a Mare that nursed Pelias; of a she-goat whose dugs Aegystus sucked; and of Telephus that sucked a Hinde.

Divers others I could alledg, but these are sufficient to let us see the cruelty of some parents, and the kindenesse of some beasts far more merciful than man. Besides, the special care and providence of God towards tender and impotent infants: Yet I know Livy contradicts the story of the Wolf, that nursed Romulus, and so doth Dr. Brown, having no other inducement but that of Livies authority, whereas the other Historians and Monuments of Rome affirm it. Besides, it is no more incredible for a Wolf to nurse a child, then for a Raven every day to feed Elijah.

But besides ancient stories, there be divers late Records of some children who have been nourished by Wolves within these few years in our neighbour Countries. In the Lantgrave of Hesse his Countrey, was found a boy who had been lost by his parents when he was a childe, who was bred among Wolves, and ran up and down with them upon all four for his prey. This boy was at last in Hunting taken and brought to the Landgrave, who much wondring at the sight, caused him to be bred among his servants, who in time left his Wolvish conditions, learned to walk upright like a man, and to speak, who confessed, that the wolves bred him and taught him to hunt for prey with them. This story is reheased by Dresserus in his Book of new and ancient Discipline, Hist. Med. part. 1. c. 75.

The like story hath Camerarius of two children, which had been bred among Wolves, and taken in the year 1544. I have read of a man bred among Wolves, and presented to Charls the ninth of France. And a strange story is extant, written by Lewis Guyon, Sieur De la Nauche, (l. 2. Divers. Lection. c. 34.) of a childe that was carried away in the Forest of Ardenne by Wolves, and nourished by them. This child having conversed with them divers years, was at last apprehended, but could neither speak nor walk upright, nor eat any thing except raw flesh, till by a new education among other children, his bestial nature was quite abolished. We see then it is not incredible for children to be nursed by Wolves; of which perhaps the old Irish were not ignorant, when they prayed for Wolves, used them kindly, as if they had been their own sons, as wee may read in Cambden [Hist. Hiber.] out of Goade.