Comprachicos

Okay kiddo, have you ever watched a magician who uses mirrors to make you think he's doing something that he's not really doing? That's what comprachicos did, but with kids.

Comprachicos were people who traveled around in the olden days, trying to find kids who they could kidnap or buy from their parents. Then, they would treat these kids really badly, like not giving them enough food or making them sleep outside. They did this so that the kids would be really sad and not have any hope for a good life.

The comprachicos would then take these sad kids and do a trick just like the magicians. They would put a lot of makeup on the kid's face, maybe even break their bones and make them look really different. They would cut off their hair, and make them look like someone else entirely. Then, they would show off this new "person" they made to people who wanted to buy a kid.

Most times, the kids would be sold into slavery and they would never see their family again. But, sometimes they would be bought by rich families who wanted a kid that looked special or different.

So basically, comprachicos were really mean people who hurt kids, made them look different and then sold them to other people. It's a really sad thing that happened in the past, and luckily it's not allowed anymore.