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[Mat Honan <mhonan AT earthlink.net>]

http://english.pravda.ru/main/2001/07/14/10063.html

11:02 2001-07-14
MYSTERY OF THE SEX-CRAZED, HUNGRY, ENGLISH-SPEAKING BABOONS
A troop of baboons which attacked single women and demanded food and 
Sex (in English) had the people of Swaziland, southern Africa, so 
terrified that the Swazi Parliament even passed a motion to have 
baboons exterminated in the country.

The baboons, calling each other by names such as "bottle juice" would 
attack women at night, jumping on the roofs of their houses, 
demanding food and Sex. If neither was provided, they stole the 
women's livestock.

However, the mystery was solved after police investigators came to 
the conclusion that it was impossible for baboons to speak English 
and laid a trap to catch them. The result was the arrest of three 
youths, aged between 12 and 16, after numerous reports by terrified 
women of a "plague" of baboons which smashed windows, teased children 
or stole animals unless they were "pacified" by Sex and food.

Hundreds of women left their homes and fled to the villages and towns.
One woman said that she had been chased out of her house by the 
baboons. "I was sleeping when I heard this gruff voice calling me 
from the roof. It demanded food and Sex. The voice said the baboons 
knew that I stayed alone. They killed my chickens and ran off with 
some of them".

Seeing the boys fleeing in the moonlight, she was convinced they were 
demons in the form of baboons after seeing their fur and ears.

Another woman complained of "bewitched baboons" who said they would 
roast her pig if she didn't let them into bed with her. "I refused 
and they stole the pig. They should be punished", she said.

Punished they have been. The local court sentenced the 12-year-old to 
5 lashes of the whip and the 15- and 16-year-olds will spend 20 
months in jail. The mystery of how they convinced people that they 
were baboons is simple: they had stolen some ceremonial baboon skins.