Will O’ The Wisp is a curious light seen flickering in the distance over swamps and marshes. In many parts of the world, the will o’the wisp is attributed to the bog faeries who appear as balls of light in order to lead travellers astray. Others are said to be faeries who carry lanterns to guide the unwary over cliff tops or into marshland. If a person follows one, he may meet his death in a bog or a deep pool. Some particularly viscious will o’the wisps have chased terrified people through mire and thorns, leaving them stranded amid peals of malicious laughter. However, some lights have proved helpful, and shown travellers to safety.
Some say that the lights are the souls of the dead children. Others say that will o’the wisps are the souls of greedy men with hidden treasure, money lenders and swindlers, or people neither good enough for heaven nor evil enough for hell. In Northern Europe, such lights are seen hovering over the tombs or burial mounds of warriors, and are thought to be the souls of the dead, guarding the treasure buried within the grave. In German and Swedish folklore, the lights belong to the souls of those who, in life, disregarded boundary markers and stole a neighbour’s land. In Italy they are souls in purgatory. Seeing a will o’the wisp or corpse candle may be an omen of death, either for the person who sees it, or someone they love.
Science cannot explain fully these strange lights, though there are various theories. The usual explanation is that decomposing organic matter causes methane gas – marsh damp – that ignites spontaneously to form flames and fireballs. These are then blown about on the breeze. In recent years. however, some scientists have disputed the fact that this could happen.
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