Will-o'-the-wisp

Will-o'- wisps and swamp lights or (in some cases also the Latin ignis fatuus expression may be translated as " fool's fire ", when used ), are rare luminous phenomena that can be observed especially in swamps and marshes at night.

Your unpredictable and temporary occurrence complicates the systematic exploration. For a long time wisps were held for a total of a superstitious imagination.

Background

There are two explanations for ghost lights. One possibility is that they are mostly for bioluminescent effects, caused for example by the edible mushroom Armillaria or luminous insects. To see is a glow that remains visible for several seconds. The other option are spontaneously igniting sewer gas.

The flames of the wisps are According to various eyewitnesses few centimeters high and illuminate for a few seconds without smoke slightly bluish, sometimes greenish; very rarely red or orange tones are described.

Mythology

The name probably comes from the belief that these lights of nature spirits ( " Irrwischen " ) and other mystic creatures are created to lead people in the bog intentionally misleading and thus to go to death. To this end, the wisps are mysteriously move flickering before the lost hikers and as a man with a lantern or a lighted building close to feign it. The goal of The Wanderer thinks he is very close and always recognizes the danger too late. Another derivation of the name could be derived from the observed, apparently aimless wandering movements of the wisps. Another option (since you the existence of these lights long doubted ) would be the derivation of the name " Irrlicht " that those who saw these lights were proceeding, often a long time in the swamps and were finally exhausted so that they deceived her mind and she " mistaken " were (see also lack of sleep ).

For the former statement speaks the Dutch word dwaallicht and the smal - Low German word Dwalllücht, where dwaal / Dwall for something by accident will is ( cf. niederländ. Dwaalspoor "wrong track "). The French feu follet " slightly crazy fire " sets rather close to the second explanation, while the Russian bluždájuščij aganjók ( блуждающий огонёк ) " scattering ( herumwanderndes, herumirrendes ) little fire " means.

In Low German, there is also the name Spauklecht or Spöklicht, ie " Spuklicht ", besides also Dödenlicht, ie " dead light ".

Due to their ghostly appearance revolve around wisps many myths and legends, which have been mentioned in literature. For example, they are in Faust. A tragedy in the Walpurgis Night scene mentioned.