Will-o’-the-wisp: Eerie Lights Over Swamps And Marshes That Frightened And Led People Astray

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - Little is known about the nature of will-o'-the-wisp. They appear as bright spots, small lights floating above the surface, dancing at night over swamps, peat bogs, and wetlands.

Old advice says: Don't follow the light of these fires in the marshlands because they will deceive you.

In myths and legends of many cultures, will-o'-the-wisp has been associated with the realm of the supernatural and the world of spirits (in Latin: 'ignis fatuus' ( foolish fire), English: 'will-o'-the-wisp'; in Swedish: 'irrbloss.')

Poets refer to them as "a flame of hate wandering through a swamp, leading nowhere."

The spooky 'will-o'-the-wisp' sometimes looks like a teardrop-shaped orb in blue, white, red, or yellow color but usually resembles a lantern or flickering small torch. Based on various accounts, the size of this phenomenon can be as big as a basketball.

The light is really spooky because it seems to play with humans; it may suddenly disappear and appear again. If you walk trying to come closer to it, it moves away from you, winks out, or seems to follow you.

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See also: 

Legend: Strange Encounter With The Fairies In The Land Of The Light

Miraculous Cauldrons Of The Ancient Celtic World

Little People: Ancient Race That Pre-Dates Native Americans, Celts, And Other Settlers Worldwide

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