1 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: Back one day millions of years ago, insects chitter and 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: chirp across a barren, rocky desert scape under an electric 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 1: haze of early morning light. While sheltering in some nearby caves, 4 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: a community of hominids huddled together for warmth as their 5 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 1: weight to the first golden rays of dawn. When finally 6 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: they come, the hominids emerge into the light to find 7 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,919 Speaker 1: something bizarre and alien standing before them at all obsidian monolith, 8 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 1: unlike anything they have ever seen before. As the hominids 9 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: grunt and squawk with a mix of fear and confusion, 10 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: some are brave enough to touch it as they make 11 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: futile attempts to fathom its meaning. Hours later, in the 12 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,199 Speaker 1: shadow of the monolith, as the sun reaches its zenith 13 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: in the sky above it, one hominid is scraping about 14 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: in the sand when they grab a thick bone from 15 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: the skeleton of a dead taper nearby and begin to 16 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: flap it about in the dust. Then, gripping it a 17 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: little harder, they start to smash it against the other bones, 18 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: pounding and pounding more with ever increasing intensity, before finally 19 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 1: they unleash the full force of their strength and bring 20 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: the bone crashing through the center of the tapier's skull, 21 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: smashing it to smithereens. Having finally calmed, the hominid tosses 22 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: the bone high into the air, but as it falls 23 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: back to Earth, the bone and desert landscape are suddenly 24 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: replaced by a bone shaped spaceship drifting above a planet 25 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: through the vast emptiness of space. Many may recognize this 26 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: as one of the most profound and iconic scenes of 27 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: twentieth century cinema. Taken from Stanley Kubrick's nineteen sixty eight 28 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: masterpiece two thousand and one, A Space Odyssey, it is 29 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 1: a singular moment of cinematic genius, creating, in one expert transition, 30 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: a direct line from the discovery of want and violence 31 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: to the greatest technological achievements humanity can presently comprehend. It 32 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: is a scene that suggests provocatively that not only is 33 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: humanity indelibly characterized by both these things, but that the 34 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: existence of one may be predicated on the existence of 35 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: the other. Taken more broadly, it can also be read 36 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: as a statement on the concept of original sin, or, 37 00:02:55,280 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: more precisely, to strip away its theological connotations, aposting of 38 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: the age old question of whether our potential to be 39 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: good or bad, as we might describe it, is something 40 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: already inherent within us from the day we are born, 41 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: or whether it is something imprinted upon us by the attitudes, morais, 42 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: and conventions of the world into which we emerge. It 43 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: is a complicated and fraught argument that, barring the most 44 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: extreme type of human experiment, is unlikely to ever be 45 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: satisfactorily answered anytime soon. From time to time, however, a 46 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: unique opportunity presents itself from which we might draw an 47 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: insight into the truth of the matter. You're listening to Unexplained, 48 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: and I'm Richard McClain smith. The pristine and bustling city 49 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: of Nuanberg, as famed priest Martin Luther had, it, shines 50 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: throughout Germany like a sun among the moon and stars. 51 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: Even today, certainly within the walled parts of the old city, 52 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: it remains as mesmerizing as ever, an entire town of 53 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: gingerbread homes, tottering fairy tale towers, and grand, crooked timber 54 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: framed buildings, resplendent under their vibrant terra cotta tiles, all 55 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: in the shadow of its towering medieval castle perched high 56 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: on a hill to the north of the city. It 57 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: was one warm afternoon in late May of eighteen twenty 58 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: eight in the unschlit Plats, a quiet square on the 59 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: western edge of Nuremberg. Sometime around four thirty pm, the 60 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: shoemaker George Fikman was sweeping the cobbles outside its store 61 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: when he was distracted by the sight of a man 62 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: clumsily making his way across the square. It was bizarre 63 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: the way he moved, caught between simply trying to stay 64 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: upright while moving forward at the same time flinging out 65 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: his legs in front of him, one after the other, 66 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: as if they didn't quite belong to him. From afar, 67 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: he looked like any other regular citizen of the city, 68 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: a little short, perhaps, had just under five foot, but 69 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: dressed in a common graycloth jacket, black silk scarf and 70 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: dark felt hat trimmed with yellow ribbon, from under which 71 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: a head of light brown curls could just about be 72 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: seen cascading out. Fikman first assumed the man was drunk, 73 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 1: but as he looked harder, he soon realized he wasn't 74 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,359 Speaker 1: a man at all, but a boy who appeared to 75 00:05:55,400 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: be in great discomfort. Rushing quickly over to help, Fikman 76 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: offered his arm for the boy to hold on to, 77 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: causing him to stumble suddenly, then simply stare back at 78 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: him through a pair of vacant, pale blue eyes. The 79 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: boy's toes, he could see now, was sticking out the 80 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: ends of his boots. Fikman asked the boy for his name, 81 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,239 Speaker 1: as if then only seeing the shoemaker for the first time. 82 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: The boy ignored the question and gestured to his feet, 83 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: grimacing with palpable pain. Then, after steadying himself against a 84 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 1: nearby wall, he reached into his pocket, took out a 85 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:46,680 Speaker 1: letter and handed it to Vikman. The man studied the 86 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: address on the front of it, with some surprise to 87 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: the well borne captain of the fourth Squadron of the 88 00:06:54,320 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: sixth Regiment of Light Horses. It read Fikman again at 89 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: the strange, disheveled youth, and asked once more for his name. 90 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: After taking a moment to think about it, he replied instead, 91 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: I want to be the rider my father was yes, 92 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: But what is your name? Said Vikman again, But the 93 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: boy seemed not to understand, his face crumbling as though 94 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: he were about to cry. Please, he said pitifully, I 95 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: want to be the rider my father was. Fikman shook 96 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: his head and looked about the deserted square, then motioned 97 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: for the boy to follow him. After a short but 98 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: arduous walk, Fikman led the mysterious boy to the home 99 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: of Captain Friedrich von Vessenig, the current captain of the 100 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: fourth Squadron. The door was answered an extremely confused looking servant, who, 101 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: like Vikman, also asked first for the boy's name, but 102 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: just as before, the boy replied with his own intense 103 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: look of confusion, before stating once more that I want 104 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: to be the rider my father was. Fikman chuckled to himself, 105 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: then handed the boy's letter to the servant with a 106 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: quick glance at the address. The servant informed the pair 107 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: that the captain was not currently at home and suggested 108 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: they try again later, But as he closed the door, 109 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: the boy began to cry and pointed to his feet. 110 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: Seeing the blisters now clearly visible under the boy's toes, 111 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,319 Speaker 1: the servant softened and agreed to let him wait in 112 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 1: the barn until the captain returned. While there, the boy 113 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: was given some meat to eat, but no sooner had 114 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: he placed it in his mouth, He immediately spat it 115 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: out with disgust, as his entire body shook from the 116 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: revulsion of it. It was the same when he tried 117 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 1: the beer they brought him too. When simple bread and 118 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: water was offered, however, the boy gobbled it down with glee. Then, 119 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: with obvious relief at finally being off his feet, the 120 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: boy sat down on a pile of straw with his 121 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: back against the wall and his legs stretched out in 122 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: front of him, then promptly fell into a deep sleep. 123 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: A few hours later, the captain arrived home to much 124 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: excitement from his children, who by then had become well 125 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 1: acquainted with the peculiar creature now lying asleep in their barn, 126 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: having spent much of the afternoon secretly spying on him. 127 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: Completely bemused as to what they were talking about, the 128 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 1: captain was then handed the boy's letter from his servant 129 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: and eckleet or it open. Though the writing was legible, 130 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: it was littered with strange grammar and numerous spelling mistakes. 131 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 1: It read as follows from the Bavarian border, the place 132 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: is unnamed, eighteen twenty eight. I'm sending you a boy 133 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: who would like to faithfully serve his king. This boy 134 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: was laid on me on the seventh of October eighteen twelve. 135 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: I myself have ten children. I have enough to do 136 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: to get by, and his mother only laid the boy 137 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 1: for being raised, and I was not able to find her. 138 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 1: I raised him as a Christian, and I have since 139 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: eighteen twelve not allowed him to take a single step 140 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 1: out of the house, so that nobody knows the place 141 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: where he was brought up, and he himself doesn't know. 142 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 1: So you can ask him as much as you like, 143 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,719 Speaker 1: but he can't tell you. Read and writing. I have 144 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: already taught him, And when we ask him what he 145 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: wants to become, he said he wants to be a 146 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: cavalryman like his father was. If he had parents, which 147 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 1: he has none, he would have become a learned boy. 148 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: You only have to show him something once and he 149 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: can do it best. Captain. You shouldn't torture him with questions. 150 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: He doesn't know where I am. I took him away 151 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,200 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night, and he doesn't know 152 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: anymore how to go home. If you can't keep him, 153 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,199 Speaker 1: you will have to butcher him or hang him up 154 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: in the chimney. Within the letter to the captain was 155 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 1: a second letter, which the captain presumed was given to 156 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: the writer of the first when the boy was apparently 157 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: left with him. The child is called Casper. He was 158 00:11:59,120 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: born on the third yet of April in the year 159 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 1: eighteen twelve. I ask you to raise him until his 160 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: seventeenth year. Then sent him to Nuremberg, to the sixth Regiment. 161 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: That is where his father was too. I am a 162 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: poor little girl. I cannot feed the boy, and his 163 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: father is dead. Since the captain had no idea who 164 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: the boy was and had no use for him, he 165 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: ordered his servants to have him delivered immediately to the 166 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: nearest police station. It had just gone eight pm when 167 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: the boy was handed over to the police, wailing in 168 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: pain at each step as he shuffled into the station building, 169 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: drawing the attention of all who were inside. Once again, 170 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:51,079 Speaker 1: the boy was asked for his name, but once again 171 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: he could only stare back vacantly and offer the same 172 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: old refrain in response, I want to be the rider. 173 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: My father was unsure what to do with him. The 174 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: police first made a search of his pockets to see 175 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: if they might find any evidence as to who he 176 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: was or where he came from. Little was found, however, 177 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: save for some rags patterned with blue and white flowers, 178 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: a small envelope with some gold dust in it, and 179 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,959 Speaker 1: a collection of religious texts, including one titled the Art 180 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: of Replacing Lost Time and Years Badly Spent. A red 181 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 1: and white handkerchief was also found, with the initials K 182 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 1: h embroidered onto it, suggesting at least a second name 183 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: beginning with H to go with the first one, Casper. 184 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: As the police discussed what they should do next, the 185 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: boy could only watch on through tears as he sat 186 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 1: in the corner, seemingly unsure where he was exactly or 187 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: what he wanted. Eventually, one officer approached him quietly and 188 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: showed him a coin. The boy's face lit up into 189 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: a huge, beaming smile. Oors oors, he said, strangely, with 190 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: wondrous joy, now suddenly indifferent to the tears of anguish 191 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: still wet on his cheeks. It was, they thought, as 192 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: if he were only a little child encased within a 193 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: teenager's body. Then another officer grabbed a pen and paper 194 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: and showed them to the boy, who seemed to recognize 195 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: what they were taking the pen confidently between his thumb 196 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: and fingers. The officers watched on with excitement as the 197 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: boy dipped it into the ink and began to write 198 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 1: in careful flowing letters K A S P A R 199 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: H A U S E R. Casper Hauser said the officer, 200 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: is that your name? But the boy could only stare 201 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: back blankly in reply. With nothing else to be done. 202 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: So late in the evening, Casper, as he would from 203 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: then on be known, was taken by horse and cart 204 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: to the prison at Vestner Gate in the north of 205 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: the city, a place for vagrants and minor offenders in 206 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 1: the shadow of the Imperial Castle. The following morning, a 207 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: private room was prepared for him, where he could be 208 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: watched over by resident jailer Andreas Hiltell, who lived on 209 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: site with his wife and their eight children. As a 210 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: father himself, it was hard not to take pity on 211 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: Casper and his unusual predicament, or to be struck by 212 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: just how childlike he was, even down to the way 213 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: he would pour at things with his hands, as if 214 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: he hadn't yet become accustomed to the dexterity of his 215 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: fingers like everyone else. Hiltol's attempts to communicate with him 216 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: were met only with confused grunts and vacant stairs. After 217 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: hearing the boy could write, however, he procured him some 218 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: paper and ink, and then watched with interest as he 219 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: quickly began to write something down. When the jailer returned 220 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: to Casper's room soon after, he was amazed to find 221 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: he'd covered four sides of paper in writing. Hiltol's amazement 222 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: soon turned to disappointment, however, when the writing was found 223 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: only to comprise the letters of the alphabet and Casper's 224 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: name written over and over again. Over the next few days, 225 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: Casper's time was spent mostly at the police station, sat 226 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: quietly crying to himself in the corner as the police 227 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: waited in vain for someone to claim him. He was 228 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: quick to be cheered up, however, whenever the officers occasioned 229 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 1: to give him a gift of coins or ribbons, which 230 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: he delighted in playing with as he shouted the word 231 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: horse again, much to everyone's confusion. That was until one 232 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: morning when one officer brought him a large wooden horse 233 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:28,120 Speaker 1: to play with. On seeing it, Casper burst into tears 234 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,360 Speaker 1: of unbridled joy as he wrapped his arms around it, 235 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 1: greeting it like a long lost friend. Then, taking the 236 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: various coins and ribbons he had amassed, he proceeded to 237 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: drape them around the horse's neck. 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Better 256 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: Help wants you to start living a happier life today. 257 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 1: A few days after his mysterious appearance in Nuremberg, police 258 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: took Casper for a walk around the city in the 259 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: hope that he might be able to at least identify 260 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 1: what direction he'd come from. Though he failed to recognize anything, 261 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: it was fascinating to watch the way he moved about, 262 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 1: or how mesmerized he became by the sudden toll of 263 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,040 Speaker 1: a nearby bell as he pointed to his ear and 264 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 1: scanned the air above, as if he might somehow see 265 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 1: the sound of it. Back at the jail, Casper divided 266 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,719 Speaker 1: most of his time between drawing and writing and playing 267 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,640 Speaker 1: with the numerous wooden horses he had now been given. 268 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: As he sat quietly, delicately moving them about the room, 269 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: it was as though he believed they were alive. Whenever 270 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: he was given bread and water, he took pains to 271 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: make sure the horses at their share, first pressing the 272 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: bread against their mouths before dipping their noses in the 273 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 1: water so they could drink. At one point, he even 274 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 1: spent two days trying to convince one of the horses 275 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 1: to take a bridle piece in its mouth, only for 276 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: Hiltel to have to try and explain that the horse 277 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:24,199 Speaker 1: couldn't open its mouth. Over time, Hiltell allowed Casper to 278 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: sit for dinner with his family, and though he didn't 279 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: eat himself, he seemed to delight in observing their various behaviors. 280 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:36,439 Speaker 1: Hiltel also allowed two of his children to play with Casper, 281 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: hoping it might help his development. Despite first being scared 282 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 1: that the jailer's two year old daughter, Margaret, might hurt him, 283 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 1: Casper soon learned to enjoy their company, and so things 284 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 1: continued for the next week as all the while, the 285 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: news began to spread of the strange child in the 286 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 1: tower who'd appeared one afternoon out of thin air, transported 287 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 1: from another world like something out of a bizarre fairy tale. 288 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: Having been informed of Casper's situation and the terrible treatment 289 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,479 Speaker 1: meted out to him as described in the letter, the 290 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:26,120 Speaker 1: city's mayor, yak of Binder, made it his personal responsibility 291 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:29,919 Speaker 1: to help him. He began by having him brought to 292 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: his home, where he was formerly assessed by the mayor's doctor. 293 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: The doctor confirmed the boy's age to be in the 294 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:41,679 Speaker 1: region of fourteen to sixteen years old, in keeping with 295 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: the dates given in the letter. On account of the light, 296 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: downy hairs on his chin and top lip. Though slightly 297 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: small for his age but only four foot nine inches, 298 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: the boy's physique was judged to be well proportioned, if 299 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,520 Speaker 1: a little on the stocky side, with no obvious physical 300 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:04,239 Speaker 1: defect save for one large recently healed scar on the 301 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: boy's arm, and though his skin was thought to be 302 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: quite pale, it wasn't considered to be a sign of 303 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 1: any obvious sickness. One unusual aspect, however, was just how 304 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:20,200 Speaker 1: weak his limbs were, with the doctor estimating his strength 305 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: to be only that of a child half his age. 306 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: As for his attempts at walking, this was more in 307 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: keeping with a mere two year old. The boy also 308 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: had a clear aversion to bright light, which he took 309 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,959 Speaker 1: great efforts to avoid, shielding his eyes from it at 310 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 1: the slightest exposure, in keeping with the letter's proclamation that 311 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: he'd been kept inside his entire life. Focusing on distant 312 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: objects was also difficult for him, as if he didn't 313 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: quite understand that they were in the distance at all, 314 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: as opposed to just being small things in front of him, 315 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,640 Speaker 1: all of which led the doctor to conclude that Casper 316 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: was not crazy or an idiot, as he described it, 317 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 1: but evidently someone who'd been raised like a half wild person, 318 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:15,120 Speaker 1: having been forcibly and in the most heinous way, removed 319 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:26,240 Speaker 1: from all human and societal education. With the doctor's assessment 320 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: appearing to confirm what was written in the letter, the 321 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: public's interest in the boy only intensified. The authorities then 322 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,680 Speaker 1: invited people to visit him, in the hope that someone 323 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: might be able to shed some light on where he'd 324 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: come from. Throughout June or manner of visitors came from 325 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,879 Speaker 1: doctors and teachers, to other academics, as well as hundreds 326 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: of members of the general public. Though some came to 327 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: laugh and tease the boy, others, having been touched by 328 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: his plight, came bearing gifts or with the genuine hope 329 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,360 Speaker 1: that they might find a way to communicate with him. 330 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 1: Casper observed them all with cool detachment, or in many cases, 331 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 1: didn't observe them at all, preferring instead to play with 332 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: his toys. One visitor, however, soon became a favorite of Casper's. 333 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: George Friederichdwmer had studied under the great philosopher George Wilhelm 334 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 1: Hegel And had been destined for a solid career as 335 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: a teacher before deteriorating eyesight forced him to retire. Having 336 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: first had his interest in Casper piqued by rumors of 337 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: the wild, feral child being kept locked up in one 338 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: of the city's towers, Dowmer was surprised to find the 339 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: boy's room, by then covered in tens of crude but 340 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:56,000 Speaker 1: oddly beautiful pictures he'd drawn himself, while the toys that 341 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: ranged from hundreds of tin soldiers to wooden horses and 342 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: other such things common to Nuremberg, despite his apparent lack 343 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: of any civilizing influence, had seemingly unprompted been stacked and 344 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 1: neatly arranged on the benches that boarded the room. Believing 345 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: Casper to be potentially the most pure form of human 346 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: he'd ever come across, a fascinating creature unblemished by human civilization, 347 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,199 Speaker 1: Dahmer continued to visit him over the next few weeks, 348 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,719 Speaker 1: each time finding small but meaningful ways to engage with 349 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: him and bring him out of his shell. Meanwhile, Mayor 350 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: Binder also continued his regular meetings with the boy, as 351 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:44,119 Speaker 1: he attempted to get to the bottom of his story, 352 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 1: and over time, through short, often confused sentences and single 353 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: word grunts, Casper slowly began to reveal it, having done 354 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 1: his best to make sense of it all. On July fourteenth, 355 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 1: eight weeks after Casper first appeared, Mayor Binder, released a 356 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:11,679 Speaker 1: public statement revealing for the first time Casper's story in full. 357 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:24,399 Speaker 1: It was a tale almost beyond belief. Casper remembered nothing 358 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 1: of how he came to be in the cage, simply 359 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 1: that it was all he had ever known. The cage 360 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:35,320 Speaker 1: was Casper's name for the room in which he was kept, which, 361 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,919 Speaker 1: as he conveyed to the Mayor, was a tiny dirt 362 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 1: floor space roughly six feet long, four feet wide, and 363 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: only five feet high, Though there were two small windows 364 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,359 Speaker 1: at one end, both were covered with wood, through which 365 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: only a few anemic rays of light ever penetrated. Having 366 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 1: no concept of day or night, Casper had never seen 367 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: the sun or the moon, and spent more or less 368 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: the entirety of his time in complete darkness and silence. 369 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,520 Speaker 1: From as far back as he could remember, he'd always 370 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 1: been dressed in a cloth shirt and dark leather pants, 371 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 1: which had a hole cut out at the backside, through 372 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: which he was able to relieve himself. He would do 373 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 1: this into a bucket that was kept in a hole 374 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,720 Speaker 1: in the ground in the corner of the room. Whenever 375 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: Casper fell asleep, he would wake up to find the 376 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: bucket had been emptied, while a pitcher of water and 377 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:41,159 Speaker 1: some pieces of bread had been left out for him. Sometimes, 378 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 1: when he drank the water, it would taste funny and 379 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,880 Speaker 1: would cause him to fall asleep, after which he awoke 380 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 1: to find his nails and hair had been trimmed and 381 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: his clothes had been washed. For company, he had two 382 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:00,119 Speaker 1: white wooden horses and a wooden dog with which he 383 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 1: would spend most of his time playing. For the rest 384 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: of the time, he slept or simply shuffled about the 385 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 1: space on his backside, having never learned how to walk. Once, 386 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: when he made too much noise with the horses, a 387 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: man appeared suddenly and beat him on the arm with 388 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 1: a stick, which, as he explained, was how he got 389 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 1: the big scar on his arm. It was, he insisted, 390 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: the first and only time he'd ever felt pain. One day, 391 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: the man entered the room again and placed a table 392 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,560 Speaker 1: over his feet, onto which he put a sheet of paper, 393 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: some ink, and a pen to write with. The man, 394 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: who he assumed had been the person keeping him captive 395 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: that whole time, also brought to books with him, which 396 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 1: he used to help teach Casper how to write. It 397 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 1: was the most joy that Casper had ever known in 398 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 1: his lifetime. Throughout it all, the man kept his identity 399 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: hidden by obscuring his face and telling Casper not to 400 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: look in his direction. If the man caught the boy 401 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: looking toward the tiny door in the far corner of 402 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: the room, he told him that if he ever tried 403 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: to get out, something called God would be very angry 404 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: with him and would beat him. After Casper mastered the 405 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 1: letters of the alphabet, the man turned his attention to 406 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,719 Speaker 1: teaching him how to walk, which he did by hauling 407 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 1: him off the ground and kicking his legs until he 408 00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 1: learned to put one foot in front of the other. 409 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 1: It wasn't long after that that their journey began, when 410 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: early one morning, Kasper was awoken suddenly by the man, 411 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: who hurriedly dragged him out of the small door, then 412 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: hoisted him onto his back before whisking him out of 413 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: the building and straight into the cool damp air of 414 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 1: the outside world. The next thing Casper knew he was 415 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: waking up in the freezing cold, surrounded by strange tall 416 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: things that rustled in the wind above him. Then he 417 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: was stripped naked and redressed in an entirely new set 418 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: of clothes, before being once again hoisted onto the man's 419 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: back and hauled off into the night. Eventually having been 420 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: put down, Casper and the man continued on foot together 421 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: as the man repeated the Lord's prayer over and over again, 422 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 1: telling Casper to keep his eyes on the ground at 423 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 1: all times and to never look at him in the face. 424 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: After a while, the man explained that they were heading 425 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: to a place called the Big Village, where Casper would 426 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,840 Speaker 1: learn to be something called a cavalryman, just like his father. 427 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: Over time, Casper's feet began to burn and ache, until 428 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: when he could barely walk any more. They finally arrived 429 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:13,960 Speaker 1: at the outskirts of the Big Village. There, the man 430 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: pulled Casper back and thrust a letter into his hand, 431 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: telling him he was to deliver it to the captain 432 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 1: of the sixth Regiment, who lived somewhere in the Big Village. Then, 433 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: after turning Casper in the direction of the city gates. 434 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 1: He shoved him forward and told him to get walking, 435 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 1: but Casper didn't budge. As tears filled in his eyes, 436 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:43,959 Speaker 1: he turned back to the man, whose face was obscured 437 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,600 Speaker 1: by a scarf, and told him, in the few words 438 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: that he had, that he didn't want to be alone, 439 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,480 Speaker 1: and that he wanted the man to go the rest 440 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: of the way with him. Taking a moment to think 441 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: about it, the man then made a deal with the boy, 442 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:03,479 Speaker 1: agreeing to meet him later if he were to go 443 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 1: on ahead without him. And with that Casper stepped unsteadily 444 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 1: from the shelter of the trees and made his way 445 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 1: toward the city gate. He never saw the man again, 446 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: and so begins the tale of Caspar Houser. At the 447 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: end of his statement, the mayor promised to do all 448 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 1: that was possible to uncover the crime that, by his reckoning, 449 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 1: had undoubtedly been committed against Casper, and to discover the 450 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 1: villain or helpers who committed it. It was stated also 451 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,440 Speaker 1: that anyone who carried within their bosoms a human heart 452 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: should come forward and speak with the police, with the 453 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: offer of a generous reward if they had even the 454 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:58,520 Speaker 1: smallest shred of evidence that might help them to identify 455 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: and capture the culprit. With it estimated that the boy 456 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 1: had most likely been held captive since the age of two. 457 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:10,840 Speaker 1: The police were instructed to focus their attention on any 458 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 1: children that had been reported missing in the last fourteen years. 459 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:19,240 Speaker 1: Thanks to the mayor's statement, Casper's story soon caught the 460 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 1: attention of most of Europe and was even featured in 461 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 1: papers as far away as the United States of America, 462 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:30,880 Speaker 1: as many began to speculate about his true identity. Before long, 463 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: some were even speculating that the boy was actually from 464 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,880 Speaker 1: noble stock, but had been snatched away and denied his 465 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:44,400 Speaker 1: rightful birthright as the result of some nefarious plot. Others 466 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: wondered just how much of the mayor's version of Casper's 467 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:51,920 Speaker 1: story could truly be believed, since his language skills were 468 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: still reportedly severely limited at the time. Either way, as 469 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:01,280 Speaker 1: the rumors continued to swirl, all that was left was 470 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,200 Speaker 1: to sit back and wait for more information to come 471 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 1: to light while the mayor and the relevant authorities debated 472 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:11,280 Speaker 1: what to do with the young boy. In the meantime. 473 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: Little did they know then that the beguiling tale of 474 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 1: Caspar Hauser was only about to get even more strange. 475 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Unexplained Season six, episode five, The 476 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:33,480 Speaker 1: Boy Who, Part one of two. The second and final 477 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:37,799 Speaker 1: part will be released next week on Friday, December third. 478 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 1: If you enjoy Unexplained and would like to help supporters, 479 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 1: you can now do so via Patreon. To receive access 480 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: to add three episodes, just go to patron dot com 481 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: Forward Slash Unexplained Pod to sign up. Unexplained, the book 482 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: and audiobook, featuring ten stories that have never before been 483 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 1: covered on the show, is now available to by worldwide. 484 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:04,920 Speaker 1: You can purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Waterstones, 485 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:10,040 Speaker 1: among other bookstores. All elements of Unexplained, including the show's music, 486 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 1: are produced by me Richard McClain smith. Please subscribe and 487 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 1: rate the show wherever you listen to podcasts, and feel 488 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:19,080 Speaker 1: free to get in touch with any thoughts or ideas 489 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: regarding the stories you've heard on the show. Perhaps you 490 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 1: have an explanation of your own you'd like to share. 491 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:28,160 Speaker 1: You can reach us online at Unexplained podcast dot com 492 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:33,320 Speaker 1: or Twitter at Unexplained Pod and Facebook at Facebook dot com. 493 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:35,920 Speaker 1: Forward Slash Unexplained Podcast