Should you ever find yourself walking along a marsh or swamp in the darkest hour of the night, you may witness a haunting light over the still water. Over the centuries, it’s been called by many names—the French call it the feu follet, the English call it will-o’-the wisp or jack o’lanterns. No matter what you call it, one thing is clear—it’s the light of the wicked.
FEU FOLLET
The term “feu follet” means fire in the marsh. Considered by many to be fairies of the swamp, the feu follet has been a staple in Louisiana folklore. They’re said to be small orbs of light often sighted in the trees, near the ground around the swamps, marshes, and bogs.
Some believe them to be spirits or even ghosts of loved ones past. Sightings of these mysterious lights go beyond the swamps and into the haunting shadows of South Louisiana’s cemeteries. According to a Lake Charles article on the subject, the Bilbo Cemetery has recorded sightings since the 1840s.
The legend of the feu follet has been a part of Cajun oral tradition for centuries. In a 1901 French manuscript, the feu follet are described as:
“LE FEU FOLLET uneasy or joyful, illuminating consciences and hearts. Across the feverish world, [the] Feu Follet – [a] vacillating reflection of human thought – wants to shine…”
WILL-O’-THE-WISPS
Tales of the feu follet are often coupled with another light spectacle in folklore called Will-O’-the-Wisps. These small, mysterious balls of light lure unsuspecting travelers off the beaten path and deeper into the woods, away from the safety of the known and into the eerie grasp of the unknown.
Many report the strange illuminations around the bogs of England, but they’ve been seen worldwide and are called by many different names.
Just like the feu follet, will-o’-the-wisps have an evil nature about them. Though they seem innocent, many believe they will lead to a traveler’s ultimate demise. Considered to be carried by spirits who have been banned from both heaven and hell, will-o’-the-wisps have been cursed to earth. They haunt and raise havoc for the living.
Some sightings include a ball of fire like a lantern or torch carried by a dark, shadowy figure. But the figure can’t be clearly seen, despite the light. These ghostly men have some fascinating origin stories.
Will-O’-the-Wisp is short for William of the Wisps. The story goes that a blacksmith named William died and went to heaven and met Saint Peter at the Golden Gates. William was such a naughty man that Saint Peter asked him to try again and do better in a second life. But William did not do better the second-go-round. His deeds were monstrous, so Saint Peter cursed him to roam the land forever. The devil must have had sympathy for wicked William because he gave him a piece of coal to warm himself on bitterly cold nights. Instead of using the coal for warmth, though, William made it a torch and lured people into danger. It turns out there was no hope of William ever making a good choice.
JACK O’LANTERN
The tale of Jack O’Lantern is similar. The lantern is carried around by a man named Jack. Jack was a drunk who sold his soul to the devil so that he’d pay for his bar tab. When the devil came to collect Jack’s soul after settling his debt, Jack lured the devil into a tree. Jack then drew a cross under the tree, trapping the devil. Later, when Jack finally met his natural death, he was rejected from heaven and had to beg the devil for a place in hell. But the devil chose to exact his revenge and cursed Jack to wander the land with only a small flame to see by.
These tales connect the light to the dead, just like the legends of the feu follet.
In an article published on November 19th, 1846, the author recalls the tales of these devilish entities, accusing them of being the incarnation of sin. It reads:
“There are hundreds of [will o’ the wisps and jack o’lanterns]—[they] take all sorts of shapes. At one time it is as bright as a friendly lanterns, and at another as cheerful as a taper in a cottage window; but it is always dangerous and deadly; like an adder, it has fine skin and a poisoned tooth; like a firework, it sparkles and then becomes dark as midnight; like Satan himself, whence it springs, it promises pleasure to inflict pain, and only gives delight to insure destruction.”
INTO THE WOODS
Goblins, witches, and even un-baptized children have been said to carry these mythic torches, beginning the lore surrounding the strange lights in the dark. Even the devil himself is said to enjoy the activity.
We talk a lot about the woods and the forest on this podcast. It’s a place near to my heart—it’s where the mystery is found, it’s the heart of many fairy tales, and it is the place where we do our shadow work. Whatever is evil or unacceptable is part of our shadow. The forest is a shadow in literature, folklore, and in life. It’s the place where we can hide, bury, or resist the not-so-good sides to ourselves. If the feu follet or will-o’-the-wisps are meant to lure us into that darkness, they would appear scary.
But our monsters can’t be beaten without first being faced. That’s what shadow work is all about. We often explore it through the safety of story… which is exactly what I do here on the podcast every episode.
If you’re a regular listener or reader of Fabled Collective, you know I love to dig into the origins of folklore. Find the fascinating story of Rapunzel here.
FEU FOLLET LORE
According to Louisiana’s lore, a feu follet cannot cross iron. Placing the iron into the ground between the traveler and the follet will keep the spirit from crossing. One story I read suggested staking a pocket knife into a fence post. It said that the follet would begin playing with the knife and leave the traveler alone.
THE TRUTH?
There turns out to be a natural explanation for the phenomena. Swamps and bogs are stagnate water deprived of oxygen, which is the ideal environment for bacteria and microorganisms to thrive. These organisms consume dead plant material and release methane and phosphine gas. Phosphine is believed to be the cause of the eerie, mysterious orbs. Some scientists say that phosphine will spontaneously combust. Others believe that the orbs are actually bioluminescence, similar to that of a lightning bug.
I live near a marsh and haven’t yet had the experience of witnessing the feu follet. Whether the strange lights are connected to the dead or the devil or are simply a natural occurrence, there’s no clear answer. It’s the feeling—the goosebumps, the hair standing on the back of the neck, the spooky vibe you feel deep in your gut—that speaks louder than any science. Deep down, our ancient souls know when there’s danger. It’s up to us to listen.
Should you ever come in contact with the feu follet, remember… don’t follow the light.
Music:
Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4397-sovereign
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Despair and Triumph by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3641-despair-and-triumph
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Ghostpocalypse – 6 Crossing the Threshold by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
