Will o' the Wisp (reenacted)

The will o' the wisp or ignis fatuus, or in plural form as ignes fatui ("fool's fire(s)") refers to the ghostly lights sometimes seen at night or twilight that hover over damp ground in still air — often over bogs. It looks like a flickering lamp, and is sometimes said to recede if approached. Much folklore surrounds the legend, but science has offered several potential explanations. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x841, 441 KB) fi:Lavastus siitä, miltä virvatuli voisi näyttää. Tuli on pienellä lautalla oleva palava tuohenpala, ja kuvan värejä on muutettu. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1200x841, 441 KB) fi:Lavastus siitä, miltä virvatuli voisi näyttää. Tuli on pienellä lautalla oleva palava tuohenpala, ja kuvan värejä on muutettu. ... Lütt-Witt Moor, a bog in Henstedt-Ulzburg in northern Germany. ... Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, material culture, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions (including oral traditions) of that culture, subculture, or group. ...

Terminology

The term Will-o'-the-wisp comes from wisp, a bundle of hay or straw sometimes used as a torch, and Will-o' (Will of).

The phenomenon Will-o'-the-wisp (Will of the wisp) is sometimes referred to as Jack o' lantern (Jack of the Lantern), and indeed the two terms were originally synonymous. In fact the names "Jacky Lantern" and "Jack the Lantern" are still present in the oral tradition of Newfoundland. These lights are also sometimes referred to as "corpse candles" or "hobby lanterns", two monikers found in the Denham Tracts. Sometimes the phenomenon is classified by the observer as a ghost, fairy, or elemental, and a different name is used. Briggs' "A Dictionary of Fairies" provides an extensive list of other names for the same phenomenon. Jack O Lantern is also an archaic name for a Will o the wisp. ... Motto: Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei (Latin: Seek ye first the kingdom of God) Official languages English Capital St. ... The Denham Tracts is a publication of a series of pamphlets and jottings on folklore, 54 in all, collected by Michael Denham, a Yorkshire tradesman, between 1846 and 1859. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Folklore

The names will o' the wisp and jack o' lantern refer to an old folktale, retold in different forms across Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Appalachia and Newfoundland. One version, from Shropshire, recounted by K. M. Briggs in her book A Dictionary of Fairies, refers to Will the Smith. Will is a wicked blacksmith who is given a second chance by Saint Peter at the gates to Heaven, but leads such a bad life that he ends up being doomed to wander the Earth. The Devil provides him with a single burning coal with which to warm himself, which he then used to lure foolish travellers into the marshes (compare Wayland Smith). An Irish version of the tale has a ne'er-do-well named Drunk Jack or Stingy Jack who makes a deal with the Devil; offering up his soul in exchange for payment of his pub tab. When the Devil comes to collect his due, Jack tricks him by making him climb a tree and then carving a cross underneath, preventing him from climbing down. In exchange for removing the cross, the Devil forgives Jack's debt. However, as no one as bad as Jack would ever be allowed into Heaven, Jack is forced upon his death to travel to Hell and ask for a place there. The Devil denies him entrance, but, as a boon, grants Jack an ember from the fires of Hell to light his way through the twilight world to which lost souls are forever condemned. Jack places it in a carved turnip to serve as a lantern. [1] Motto: (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity(English) Wha daur meddle wi me? (Scots)[1] Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots[2] Government  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... This article is about the country. ... It has been suggested that Poverty in Appalachia be merged into this article or section. ... Motto: Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei (Latin: Seek ye first the kingdom of God) Official languages English Capital St. ... Shropshire (alternatively Salop or abbreviated Shrops) is an English county in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom. ... Katharine Mary Briggs (November 8, 1898 – 1980) is the author of The Anatomy of Puck, the definitive 4-volume Dictionary of British Folk-Tales, and various other books on fairies and folklore. ... William is a popular proper name of old Germanic origin. ... A smith, or metalsmith, is a person involved in the shaping of metal objects. ... A blacksmith A blacksmith at work A blacksmith at work A blacksmiths fire Hot metal work from a blacksmith A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by forging the metal; i. ... Saint Peter, also known as Simon ben Jonah/BarJonah, Simon Peter, Cephas and Kepha — original name Simon or Simeon (Acts 15:14) — was one of the Twelve Apostles whom Jesus chose as his original disciples. ... Adjectives: Terrestrial, Terran, Telluric, Tellurian, Earthly Atmosphere Surface pressure: 101. ... The Devil is a title given to the supernatural entity, who, in Christianity, Islam, and other religions, is a powerful, evil entity and the tempter of humankind. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by coal mining, either underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... Freshwater marsh in Florida In geography, a marsh is a type of wetland, featuring grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, cat tails, and other herbaceous plants (possibly with low-growing woody plants) in a context of shallow water. ... Weyland (also spelled Wayland, Weland and Watlende) is the mythical smith-god of the Saxon immigrants into Britain. ...

Other traditions

Among European rural people, especially in Gaelic and Slavic folk cultures, the Will o' the wisps are held to be mischievous spirits of the dead or other supernatural beings attempting to lead travellers astray (compare Puck). Sometimes they are believed to be the spirits of unbaptized or stillborn children, flitting between heaven and hell (compare Wilis). Modern occultist elaborations bracket them with the salamander, a type of spirit wholly independent from humans (unlike ghosts, which are presumed to have been humans at some point in the past). They also fit the description of certain types of fairy, which may or may not have originated as human souls. This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... Goidelic is one of two major divisions of modern-day Celtic languages (the other being Brythonic). ... Distribution of Slavic people by language The Slavic peoples (Greek: , Latin: , Arabic: ‎ Saqaliba, Old Church Slavonic: , Russian: , Polish: , Serbian: ), Croatian: , Bulgarian: ) are a linguistic and ethnic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in Europe, where they constitute roughly a third of the population. ... Folk culture is a general term for traditional, popular culture. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Look up Supernatural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Puck is a mischievous pre-Christian nature spirit. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Medieval illustration of Hell in the Hortus deliciarum manuscript of Herrad of Landsberg (about 1180) A hell, according to many religious beliefs, is an afterlife of suffering where the wicked or unrighteous dead are punished. ... Fairies in Slavic mythology come in several forms and their names are spelled differently based on the specific language. ... For other uses of this term, see occult (disambiguation). ... Suborders Cryptobranchoidea Salamandroidea Sirenoidea Salamander is the common name applied to approximately 500 amphibians with slender bodies, short legs, and long tails. ... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal primates belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (the great apes). ... A ghostly woman coming down the stairs. ... by Sophie Anderson For other uses, see Fairy (disambiguation). ... The soul, acording to many religious and philosophical traditions, is a self-aware ethereal substance particular to a unique living being. ...

Danes, Finns, Estonians and Latvians amongst some other groups believed that a Will o' the wisp marked the location of a treasure deep in ground or water, which could be taken only when the fire was there. Sometimes magical tricks were required as well, to uncover the treasure. In Finland and other northern countries it was believed that midsummer was the best time to search for Will o' the wisps and treasures below them. It was believed that when someone hid treasure in the ground, (s)he made the treasure available only at the midsummer, and set Will o' the wisp to mark the exact place and time so that (s)he could come to take the treasure back. Finns also believed that the creature guarding the treasure used fire to clean precious metals bright again. Yet another Finnish explanation of Will o' the wisp was that it was a ghost of a dead child. Midsummer celebration, Ã…mmeberg, Sweden Midsummer, also referred to as Litha by some Wiccans and other Neopagans, refers to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the religious celebrations that accompany it. ...

The Will o' the wisp can be found in numerous folk tales around the British Isles, and is often a malicious character in the stories. Wirt Sikes in his book British Goblins mentions a Welsh tale about a Will o' the wisp (Pwca). A peasant travelling home at dusk spots a bright light travelling along ahead of him. Looking closer, he sees that the light is a lantern held by a "dusky little figure", which he follows for several miles. All of a sudden he finds himself standing on the edge of a vast chasm with a roaring torrent of water rushing below him. At that precise moment the lantern-carrier leaps across the gap, lifts the light high over its head, lets out a malicious laugh and blows out the light, leaving the poor peasant a long way from home, standing in pitch darkness at the edge of a precipice. This is a fairly common cautionary tale concerning the phenomenon; however, the Ignis Fatuus was not always considered dangerous. There are some tales told about the Will o' the wisp being guardians of treasure, much like the Irish leprechaun leading those brave enough to follow them to sure riches. Other stories tell of travellers getting lost in the woodland and coming upon a Will o' the wisp, and depending on how they treated the Will o' the wisp, the spirit would either get them lost further in the woods or guide them out. Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, material culture, and so forth within a particular population comprising the traditions (including oral traditions) of that culture, subculture, or group. ... Location of the British Isles The British Isles is a term used to refer to a group of islands off the north west coast of continental Europe comprising Great Britain, Ireland and a number of smaller islands. ... The term Malice has several meanings: Malice (legal term), a legal term describing the intent to harm Malice (movie), a 1993 movie starring Nicole Kidman, Alec Baldwin and Bill Pullman Malice (noun), a way to describe the feeling of hatred or disrespect. ... This article is about the country. ... The Púca (Old Irish), (also Pooka, Phooka, Phouka, Púka, Pwca in Welsh, pouque in Dgèrnésiais, also Glashtyn, Gruagach) is a creature of Celtic folklore, notably in Ireland and Wales. ... In a detail of Brueghels Land of Cockaigne (1567) a soft-boiled egg has little feet to rush to the luxuriating peasant who catches drops of honey on his tongue, while roast pigs roam wild: in fact, hunger and harsh winters were realities for the average European in the... Dusk in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, USA. Dusk or civil dusk is the time at which the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon in the evening. ... Stone lantern in a Chinese Garden A chōchin invites customers into an okonomiyaki restaurant in Japan A lantern is a portable lighting device used to illuminate broad areas. ... A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ... A young child laughing Laff redirects here. ... A modern stereotypical depiction of a Leprechaun of the type popularised in the 20th Century. ... Limber Pine woodland, Toiyabe Range, central Nevada Biologically, a woodland is a treed area differentiated from a forest. ...

In Guernsey, the light is known as the faeu boulanger (rolling fire), and is believed to be a lost soul. On being confronted with the spectre, tradition prescribes two remedies. The first is to turn one's cap or coat inside out. This has the effect of stopping the faeu boulanger in its tracks. The other solution is to stick a knife into the ground, handle up. The faeu, in an attempt to kill itself, will attack the blade.^[1] This latter explanation may support the theory that Will o' the Wisps are caused by ball lightning, the knife acting as a lightning rod. Ball lightning reportedly takes the form of a glowing, floating object often the size and shape of a basketball, but it can also be golf ball sized or smaller. ... An example of a standard, pointed-tip air terminal A lightning rod (or lightning protector) is a metal strip or rod, usually of copper or similar conductive material, used as part of lightning safety to protect tall or isolated structures (such as the roof of a building or the mast...

One Asian theologist ponders the relation of Will o' the wisp to that of the foxfire produced by kitsune, an interesting way of combining mythology of the West with that of the East.^[2] Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. ...

Theories of origin

One possible naturalistic and scientific explanation for such phenomena is that the oxidation of hydrogen phosphide and methane gases produced by the decay of organic material may cause glowing lights to appear in the air. Experiments, for example, done by the Italian chemists Luigi Garlaschelli and Paolo Boschetti, have replicated the lights by adding chemicals to the gases formed by rotting compounds. Critics claim that this theory does not easily account for reported cases which claim lights bob, swoop, soar upwards or downwards, or move against the wind. Naturalism is any of several philosophical stances, typically those descended from materialism and pragmatism, that do not distinguish the supernatural (including strange entities like non-natural values, and universals as they are commonly conceived) from nature. ... The most fundamental reactions in chemistry are the redox processes. ... Phosphine is the common name given to Hydrogen Phosphide (PH3), a compound of Phosphorus, a highly toxic gas often used for pest control by fumigation. ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula CH4. ... A gas is one of the four major phases of matter (after solid and liquid, and followed by plasma, that subsequently appear as a solid material is subjected to increasingly higher temperatures. ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Benzene is the simplest of the arenes, a family of organic compounds An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon and hydrogen; therefore, carbides, carbonates, carbon oxides and elementary carbon are not organic (see below for more on the definition controversy...

William Corliss writes, in Remarkable Luminous Phenomena in Nature (Sourcebook Project,[2] Glen Arm, MD, 2001:290): "No satisfactory mechanism has been demonstrated whereby gases escaping from marshy areas will spontaneously ignite. Furthermore, most low-level nocturnal lights are cold—not what one would expect from burning methane. Also, no one has explained how clouds of luminous gas can maintain size and shape while engaging in erratic maneuvers over many minutes." 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A nocturnal animal is one that sleeps during the day and is active at night - the opposite of the human (diurnal) schedule. ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula CH4. ... A gas is one of the four major phases of matter (after solid and liquid, and followed by plasma, that subsequently appear as a solid material is subjected to increasingly higher temperatures. ...

Others believe bioluminescent effects (e.g. honey fungus) cause the light. Other explanations include causes similar to ball lightning. Image of hundreds of agar plates cultured with a species of bioluminescent marine bacteria displayed in a pattern as an art exhibit called Bioglyphs at Montana State University–Bozeman. ... Honey fungus or Armillaria is a genus of parasitic fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. ... Ball lightning reportedly takes the form of a glowing, floating object often the size and shape of a basketball, but it can also be golf ball sized or smaller. ...

More recently, under the broader banner of "Earth Lights," pseudoscientific theories as to how they are produced have been put forward by Professors Derr & Persinger, and Paul Devereux (who, in some circles, is considered the 'authority' on earth lights of various kinds, including ball lightning, St. Elmo's Fire and lights associated with earthquakes). Derr & Persinger put forward the theory that earth lights may be generated by tectonic strain. (NB. These are faults in the earth's crust, similar to, indeed including, earthquake faults.) The theory goes that the strain causes heat in the rocks, vaporising the water in them. Piezoelectric rocks such as quartz then produce electricity, which is channeled up through this column of vaporised water, until it reaches the surface—somehow displaying itself in the form of earth lights. This theory would assert that the majority of earth lights are seen over places of tectonic strain. If it is correct, it would explain why such lights often behave in an erratic and even seemingly intelligent manner, often defying the laws of gravity. Paul Devereux's explanation, however, is much broader. He thinks that the link between the lights and the landscape is more tenuous. He says that they are probably related to many things: tectonic strain, weather conditions, local geography, 'ley lines', terrain, water table depth and so forth. This explanation, however, is rejected by most experts as highly unscientific. Phrenology is regarded today as a classic example of pseudoscience. ... Ball lightning reportedly takes the form of a glowing, floating object often the size and shape of a basketball, but it can also be golf ball sized or smaller. ... St. ... An earthquake is a phenomenon that results from the sudden release of stored energy in the Earths crust that creates seismic waves. ... Piezoelectricity is the ability of certain crystals to produce a voltage when subjected to mechanical stress. ... Quartz is one of the most common minerals in the Earths continental crust. ... Lightning strikes during a night-time thunderstorm. ... ... Weather is a term that encompasses phenomena in the atmosphere of a planet. ... Ley lines are alignments of a number of places of geographical interest, such as ancient megaliths. ... Cross section showing the water table varying with surface topography as well as a perched water table The water table or phreatic surface is the surface where the water pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure. ...

Other similar theoretical explanations, however, involving light emanating from naturally occurring electric currents do not involve pseudoscientific elements. Also, electric-based theories more easily account for the claimed seemingly free movement of the lights and claims that the lights react upon the introduction of nearby objects (e.g. humans).

Another theory was put forward claiming these lights are barn owls with luminescent plumage. Hence the possibility of them floating around, reacting to other lights, etc. See A Review of accounts of luminosity in Barn Owls Tyto alba.

In popular culture

Main article: Will o' the wisps in popular culture

The will o the wisp has made appearances in many guises across many genres and forms of popular expression, from literature to music to videogames. ...

Similarities

After recovery of most of a crashed SR-71 at sea, there was an amount of internal equipment left submerged, including tanks that contained triethylborane used to ignite the fuel. Bubbles of it would rise to the surface and ignite as described by people on the recovery ship as a 'green fire show'.^{[citation needed]} The Lockheed SR-71, unofficially known as the Blackbird, is a long-range, advanced, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed from the Lockheed A-12 and YF-12A aircraft by Lockheeds Skunk works, which was also responsible for the U-2 and many other advanced aircraft. ... See Organoboranes TEB - Triethylborane was used to ignite the JP-7 fuel of the Pratt & Whitney J-58 ramjet engines powering the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. ...

Other names

The phenomenon is also known as:

• Corpse Fire – this name comes from lights appearing specifically within graveyards where it was believed the lights were an omen of death or coming tragedy and would mark the route of a future funeral, from the victim's house to the graveyard.
• Corpse Light or Corpse Candle (in late 19th and early 20th century Newfoundland)
• Dwaallicht, meaning "wandering light" in Dutch, luring people deep into peat bogs for no apparent reason.
• Foxfire
• Friar's Lantern
• Hinkypunk in the West Country (probably derived from the Welsh Pwca (Puck))
• The Hobby Lantern - used in Hertfordshire, East Anglia, and in Warwickshire & Gloucestershire as Hobbedy's Lantern
• Irrlicht, German expression which derives from "irre(n)" with several meanings such as crazy, foolish, to get lost, to lure and to search and "Licht" equal to light. It is an evil ghost in German medieval fairy tales apearing as a glowing sphere of light in the dark woods, seducing people to leave the roads and pass into the woods.
• Irrbloss, Swedish word that is a contraction of the words "irra" (wander randomly) and "bloss" (torch).
• Jack-o'-lantern
• Jacky Lantern or Jack the Lantern (in Newfoundland)
• Kolli vai pisaasu - a Tamil term used to describe a ghost (pisaasu) with burning embers (kolli) in its mouth (vai). There is a contention whether both will o' the wisp and kolli vai pisaasu are the same.
• Liderc, or Lidérc, a demon of Hungarian folklore that flies at night in the form of fiery light, scattering flames.
• Luz Mala, meaning "evil light" in Argentina and some parts of South America. They are believed to be wandering, malevolent ghosts.
• Lyktemenn is the Norwegian word for the phenomenon, meaning "men with torches". The traditions are similar to the other North-Western European traditions
• Peg-a-Lantern in Lancashire, or Jenny-with-the-lantern in Northumbria and Yorkshire
• incorrectly identified Saint Elmo's Fire
• Spunkie – a Scots name used in the Scottish Lowlands.
• Vaett Lys is the name given to Will o'the Wisp in Norway, having the literal meaning of "Vaett's Candle," the Vaett being a kind of goblin of dwarfish stature, believed to dwell in mounds.^[3]
• Virvatuli "flickering fire" and aarnivalkea "treasure fire" are amongst the many Finnish names for this phenomenon. It is also called liekkiö ("flamey") when it is believed to be a ghost of a murdered child.
• Walking Fire
• Žaltvykslė Lithuanian for Will o'Wisp, it translates roughly as "blinking green light".
• 鬼火 (onibi) Japanese for Will o'Wisp, it translates to "ghost/devil fire." It's sometimes associated with or mistaken for the trickster 人魂 (hitodama or "human soul"), blue or green floating balls of fire assumed to be souls of people with unfinished business. Other Japanese myths consider the phenomenon a trick of the kitsune, employing their "fox-fire" (kitsune-bi) to lead travelers astray.^[2]
• Min-min: a term used by some Australian Aborigine societies to describe atmospheric phenonema similar to ball lightning or Will o'the Wisps; at one time believed to be the spirits of lost (or stillborn) children. As in many other cultures, the Min-min were believed to be dangerous to human beings, especially young children.

Motto: Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei (Latin: Seek ye first the kingdom of God) Official languages English Capital St. ... Foxfire is the term for an eerie glow in the forest generally attributed to bioluminescent fungus (genus Armillaria) which grows on decaying wood. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the country. ... Puck is a mischievous pre-Christian nature spirit. ... Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ... Norfolk and Suffolk, the core area of East Anglia. ... A detailed map Stratford-upon-Avon Kenilworth Castle Warwickshire (pronounced //, //, or //) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... Irrlicht (German for will o the wisp) may refer to: Irrlicht (album), a 1972 album by Klaus Schulze Irrlicht Engine, a free/open-source 3D engine Category: ... Jack-o-lanterns may be carved with a friendly face, above, a menacing sawtooth scowl, or any look in between. ... Motto: Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei (Latin: Seek ye first the kingdom of God) Official languages English Capital St. ... Tamil (Thamizh) is a classical language of the Dravidian language family. ... A Liderc is a demon of Hungarian folklore similar to an incubus. ... Lancashire is a county in North West England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... Section from Shepherds map of the British Isles about 802 AD showing the kingdom of Northumbria Northumbria is primarily the name of a petty kingdom of Angles which was formed in Great Britain at the beginning of the 7th century, from two smaller kingdoms of Bernicia and Diera, and... Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... St. ... Scots refers to the Anglic varieties spoken in parts of Scotland. ... The Scottish Lowlands ( an Galldachd in Gaelic ), although not officially a geographical area of the country, in normal usage is generally meant to include those parts of Scotland not referred to as the Highlands (or Gàidhealtachd), that is, everywhere due south and east of a line (the Highland Boundary... Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. ...

References

1. ^ Folklore of Guernsey by Marie de Garis (1986) ASIN: B0000EE6P8
2. ^ ^{a b} Hall, Jamie. Half Human, Half Animal: Tales of Werewolves and Related Creatures. Bloomington, Indiana: Authorhouse, 2003. 142
3. ^ Notes and Queries Vol. 6 (140) July 3, 1852 Page 17.

See also

• Ball lightning
• St. Elmo's Fire
• Naga fireballs
• Hitodama
• Spontaneous human combustion
• Foo fighter

Ball lightning reportedly takes the form of a glowing, floating object often the size and shape of a basketball, but it can also be golf ball sized or smaller. ... St. ... The Naga fireballs (Thai บั้งไฟพญานาค, bangfai payanak) are a phenomenon seen in Nong Khai province, Isan, Thailand and Laos, in which glowing balls rise from the Mekong river. ... Hitodama (人魂) is the term for a ghost-like creature in Japanese mythology. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the aerial phenomenon. ...

Sources

• Michael Denham, The Denham Tracts
• Peter Tramayne's The Haunted Abbot
• William Corliss' Remarkable Luminous Phenomena in Nature
• Willem Elsschot's Het dwaallicht
• The Folklore of the British Isles
• The Earth's Anomalous Lightforms