This is bananas

“The Jungle Book:” a famous book treasured by many that tells the tale of a child raised by beasts in the forest far from human society. This is a famous story known and loved by many, but what if the story really happened?

In northern India lies the Katarniaghat forest range. This is where a group of woodcutters recently discovered a monkey family with one unusual member. With the primates, played a filthy, emaciated, naked human girl. She appeared to be about 10 years old.

The woodcutters were quick to alert authorities, who arrived to an unusual scene. The monkeys formed a circle around the girl, believing they were protecting her just as they would with one of their own. An officer was attacked while the girl screeched at the policemen who rescued her. The monkeys proceeded to chase the escaping vehicle.

For the last two months, the girl has resided in a hospital run by the state in Bahraich, India. Doctors have concluded that the monkeys had raised the girl for a significant time; however, authorities remain mystified as to the girl’s identity and how she got there.

Observers have claimed that her behavior suggests the possibility of the girl living with the monkeys from infancy. Bahraich police officer, Dinesh Tripathi, told the Washington Post, the girl arrived at the hospital covered in wounds. “Her nails and hair were unkempt like monkeys,” Tripathi added.

At the hospital, the chief medical superintendent said, “The way she moved, even her eating habits were like that of an animal. She would throw food on the ground and eat it directly with her mouth, without lifting it with her hands. She used to move around using only her elbows and her knees.”

Other doctors treating her have said she is able to walk on two legs, but occasionally drops down on all fours. They have also said that the girl struggles to understand their attempts to communicate. She usually responds with apelike grunts and expressions.

Also according to the doctors, the girl’s health and behavior have greatly improved over the past two months. She has begun to walk normally by herself and eat food with her own hands. She is still unable to speak, but has begun to use gestures to communicate.

Although difficult because of the girl’s aversion to human contact, the doctors’ mission to help the girl transition to human life is proving somewhat successful.

Freshman, Faith Silvey, heard about the story and said, “I’ve always loved the ‘Jungle Book,’ but the idea of any child being raised like that is crazy. I always thought of the story as fantasy but maybe it is not.”