Fasting Girls

In the Victorian era, “fasting girls” were young females, usually preadolescent, who were purportedly capable of surviving for long periods without consuming any food. In many accounts, the fasting girls not only refused nourishment but also drew attention to their fasts by claiming to have special religious or magical powers. Their ability to survive was often attributed to saints or thought of as miraculous. What special abilities did Mollie Fancher, the “Brooklyn Enigma,” claim to have? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

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