The Will-o'-the-Wisp
Over marshes across Europe, people saw a flickering light that drifted ahead and led travellers astray.
What was reported
Across Europe, and especially in the marshes and fens of England, people told of a pale flame that floated over boggy ground at night and retreated when followed, luring travellers into the mire. It had many names: will-o'-the-wisp, jack-o'-lantern, ignis fatuus, 'foolish fire'.
Folklore explained it as spirits, fairies or lost souls, and it appears in literature from Milton to Tolkien. Reports grew rare as the marshes were drained.
Explanations offered
The usual explanation is gas from rotting plants, such as methane and phosphine, igniting and glowing briefly over the marsh. No one has convincingly recreated the lights in a laboratory, though, and some sightings may have been glowing fungi, insects or distant lamps, so the cause isn't fully settled.
- When
- Reported for centuries
- Where
- The Fens, Cambridgeshire, England
- Witnesses
- Travellers crossing marshes and bogs
- Status
- Disputed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.