History Main / OracularUrchin

* In ''Literature/HistoriaRegumBritanniae'' and subsequent [[KingArthur Arthurian]] works, {{Merlin}} first appears as a boy, prophesying the ascension of first Uther Pendragon and then his son Arthur. Coincidentally, he's [[HalfHumanHybrid only half human]].

* "D" from ''ParallelTroubleAdventureDual'' probably counts, too.

* River from ''{{Firefly}}''.

* ''{{Mai-HiME}}'''s Nagi Homura. He's barely older than even the youngest of the [=HiME=], and yet he knows far more about the Orphans than any of them do. While he prefers to sit on the sidelines in the anime, mangaverse Nagi takes it a step further, actively opposing the [=HiME=] and positioning himself as a [[TheDragon secondhand villain]].

[[quoteright:300:[[ComicBook/{{X-Factor}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/laylamiller1.jpg]]]]

* Lain Iwakura from ''SerialExperimentsLain'' is an extreme variation on this type.
* Ran from ''{{Texhnolyze}}'' can see one of the many possibilities of the future. Not surprising, considering she comes from the same dude who created Lain Iwakura.

* Ditto with Cheza from ''WolfsRain''.

* Manaka of ''BoogiepopPhantom''. After confusing the audience and much of the cast with her glowing flashback/flashforward butterflies, she explains everything via voiceover in the penultimate episode. Well, almost everything. Kind of.

* Gretel from ''Main/TheMilkweedTriptych'' is a villainous version; a sociopath who can see decades into the future and uses this knowledge to manipulate everyone into doing her will.

* Gretel from ''Literature/BitterSeeds'' is a villainous version.

* Chikage from ''LightNovel/SisterPrincess'' and Setsuna/Sailor Pluto from ''SailorMoon'' are a little old to be "urchins" but they are certainly mysterious and oracular.

* Rika Furude from ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'', by virtue of [[spoiler: being the only human possessing RippleEffectProofMemory in a GroundhogDayLoop, at least at first. Also happens to be the real main character, unlike {{Decoy Protagonist}}s Keiichi, Akasaka, Shion or Rena]].
* Maria Ushiromiya from ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'' is an unerringly CheerfulChild, with a [[ChildrenAreInnocent childlike]], yet strangely accurate belief in the Golden Witch, Beatrice. As things got worse, she turned into a CreepyChild.

* In ''FinalFantasyX'', a spiritual Oracular Urchin follows the main character, usually in his dreams, making random appearances to deliver a message, albeit usually not a very useful one, with the exception of the game's revelation. Eventually, he is revealed to be [[spoiler:the fayth of the dragon aeon, Bahamut.]]
* In ''FinalFantasyTactics'', Saint Ajora's claim to fame was, shortly after ''being born'' (translation error), he pointed out a well that would spread disease, which it did. He then went on to found a religion. Of course, [[spoiler: that was apparently all a lie of the Glabados Church, and Ajora's just this guy, you know? This guy with ambitions of godhood.]]

* This role is filled by Pharos in ''{{Persona 3}}'', [[spoiler:an early embodiment of Ryoji, the Appriser who will summon Nyx to end all life on Earth. He appears before the main character because the Appriser was sealed into his body ten years ago.]]

* Ditto with Cheza from ''WolfsRain'', who looks like a grown-up Rei Ayanami.

* Maia Rutledge in ''Series/TheFortyFourHundred''.

* Jade and Aradia from ''{{Homestuck}}''.
** Calliope appears to be this, providing information to Roxy, [[TimeyWimeyBall though for the most part trying to make sure she does not know more than she should at the proper time. ]]

* The Quorial, the body of mostly middle-aged and older leaders among [[{{Deryni}} the Servants of Saint Camber]], curiously includes Rhidian, a woman "who looked to be barely into puberty," yet provides a psychic shield for thw whole Quorial, preventing Kelson from reading their minds. It is she who speaks for the Quorial to inform Kelson of their decision to offer him a chance to avoid the death penalty for sacrilege by undergoing the ''cruaidh-dheuchainn'', a ritual ordeal which she tells Kelson she has herself undergone. She is said to speak enigmatically and has "a disturbingly direct gaze".
* In TamoraPierce's [[TortallUniverse Tortall]] book ''Lady Knight'', Kel runs across an oracular street urchin who -along with her own seeing powers- has a omniscient god-like thing using her as a puppet on occasion.
* Devera, the brown-eyed little girl from (this is not hyperbole) every book Steven K. Z. Brust has ever written. Her ''lack'' of appearance in ''[[{{Dragaera}} Five Hundred Years After]]'' is even lampshaded in the "Author interview" at the end. A full tally of her appearances may be found [[http://mindstalk.net/brust/devfaq.html here]]; 'ware spoilers. This is what happens when a part-goddess little girl with TimeTravel powers is allowed to run around loose.

* Steven Erikson's ''MalazanBookOfTheFallen'' has at least two of these:

* Jojen Reed of ''ASongOfIceAndFire''.

* Male example: Devil-Boy Jack in ''TheHauntingOfAlaizabelCray'' by Chris Wooding. When he first appears he's described as a ten year old beggar whose eyes are sewn shut. For the rest of the book, he predicts the future, knows things nobody else does (usually because there's no way they can) and remains as unnervingly deadpan as ever during the end mission, even though he knows that several people in his party will die (he also knows who it will be, when and how). We never find out where he came from, why he was blinded in such a gruesome way, or indeed, anything about his background or personal life. He's very creepy, but a valuable asset to the protagonists.

* Aura in the Creator/AlastairReynolds novel ''Absolution Gap'', who is infused with knowledge by an alien entity while still unborn in order to give humans some kind of chance against the Inhibitors.

* In the novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', the songs of children singing in the street are prophetic. There however is at least one time where someone merely ''claims'' that they exist, and one incident where a treacherous retainer interprets some children's prediction his way.

* [[spoiler:Trenia]] from ''Makai Kingdom'' is one of these, although at first glance she appears to be an extremely ditzy {{Cloudcuckoolander}}. She even goes as far as telling Pram (an actual oracle) that there are things about the Netherworld even ''she'' isn't supposed to know. Pram would probably qualify, too, aside from being ReallySevenHundredYearsOld and a DeadpanSnarker.

* Coco in ''{{Ever17}}''.

* Rika Furude from ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'', by virtue of [[spoiler: being the only human possessing RippleEffectProofMemory in a GroundhogDayLoop, at least at first. Also happens to be the real main character, unlike {{Decoy Protagonist}}s Keiichi, Akasaka, Shion or Rena]].
** Maria Ushiromiya from ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'' is an unerringly CheerfulChild, with a [[ChildrenAreInnocent childlike]], yet strangely accurate belief in the Golden Witch, Beatrice. As things got worse, she turned into a CreepyChild.

[[caption-width-right:300:She's Layla Miller. She knows stuff.]]

* ''{{Mai-HiME}}'''s resident WhiteHairedPrettyBoy, Nagi Homura. He's barely older than even the youngest of the [=HiME=], and yet he knows far more about the Orphans than any of them do. While he prefers to sit on the sidelines in the anime, mangaverse Nagi takes it a step further, actively opposing the [=HiME=] and positioning himself as a [[TheDragon secondhand villain]].

** As well as the newly revealed Calliope, who appears to know quite a bit more than is good for her.

* [[KingArthur Merlin]] first appears as a boy, prophesying the ascension of first Uther Pendragon and then his son Arthur. Of course, he's [[HalfHumanHybrid only half human]].

* ''DresdenFiles'' has the Archive. She's usually not particularly cryptic, but she knows ''everything that's ever been written down'' (at least since the position was created possibly around 580-570 BCE starting with Pythia). Omniscience of anything recorded isn't the whole of her powers - while the Archive is usually an an adult, the current one's circumstances result in something a step (possibly a very small step) down from a prepubescent goddess.

* Radar O'Rieley of ''Series/{{Mash}}'' could strangely anticipate incoming helicopters, phone calls, and orders people were about to give him.

!!Examples

* Aura in the AlastairReynolds novel ''Absolution Gap'', who is infused with knowledge by an alien entity while still unborn in order to give humans some kind of chance against the Inhibitors.

* Radar O'Rieley of ''{{MASH}}'' could strangely anticipate incoming helicopters, phone calls, and orders people were about to give him.

* Maia Rutledge in ''{{The 4400}}''.
* Nancy in the "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances" episodes of ''Doctor Who''.