Changelings, the Fair Folk of Equestria

[heavens-champion 1,907]

Do you think the Changelings are the Celtic Fairies of Equestria?

[Tao 8,995]

You know,  this thought did cross my head a little....

[Altastrofae 938]

Indeed they are. Much like Earthbound beings like ourselves, the Celtic Fae have races and subspecies. One of these races of faery are called Changelings. They were known to replace human babies with their own young, transfigured to look like a human. Then the baby starts acting strange. Legends say the real babies were deposited dead in wells or were taken back to the hive to serve as food for the colony. Other stories say that the babies were fine, and would be returned later, and the changelings just want someone to play with while their young are maturing.

The changelings in MLP are similar in that the black changelings were based off the babies, and the altered changelings are based on the adults.

As for eating love, I'm not sure entirely, but the faefolk  are attracted to positive energies, such as love.

I'm no expert, I've never seen a changeling before, but that's what I know.

[Will Guide 21,372]

As a guy who did some research, you are mostly correct, @Altastrofae.

[Widdershins 9,964]

ACTUALLY... what is & isn't a fairy is as vague as what a "troll" is in conventional mythology. Especially in Celtic myth, these creatures varied from gnomelike helpers to giant, demonic dogs & bodiless whisps. Fae basically meant magical; where we got the most mary-sue  of fantasy species, the Elves. 

 So, you'll have to be more specific than faerie. As we are talking about parasitic bughorses here, the closest I can think of is the Nucklevee. And the less said about them, the better.