Before there was internet fraud and phone scams, there were always swindlers.

Female swindlers too.

Discover the stories of women from the past who not only survived, but thrived as con-artists and thieves.

How did they use their feminine characteristics to swindle in a world where men made the rules?

Join me, Lucy Worsley, historian and author, and my all-female team in ladies swindlers, wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica.

This month we're talking about women who found themselves at the center of controversy,

whether deserved or not.

Today's Wamanican was a hop, skip, and a jump away from convincing the 18th century medical community

that she could do

the impossible. She even managed to dupe the King of England. Her elaborate hoax was a

national sensation and turned science as people knew it on its head. Let's talk about Mary Toft.

Mary was born at the beginning of the 18th century and lived in a small market town about

40 miles outside of London. At 17 years old, she married Joshua Toft, a textile worker,

and the couple stayed in town to raise their children. Work was often grueling and hard to come

by, so the family lived in relative poverty.

Then one day, things took a turn. In 1726, when Mary was several weeks pregnant, she came upon a rabbit. For Mary, this was a wonderful surprise. Catching a rabbit promised a free and

delicious dinner. Unfortunately, when Mary chased the rabbit, it escaped and left her empty-handed.

After that day, Mary became obsessed with the furry creatures, constantly craving rabbit

stew, rabbit pie, or any other rabbit-themed dish.

Much to her chagrin, Mary's new obsession was too expensive to be covered by her family's

meager income. A few months later, rabbits came back into the picture. Despite having miscarried

...