Corpse Candle

(Corps Can-del)

Variations: Brünnlig, Buchelmännle, Corpse Sans Âme, Dichepot, Draulicht, Dröglicht, Druckfackel, Dwallicht, Dwerlicht, Earthlights, Erlwischen, FEU-FOLLET ("Foolish Fire"), Flackerfür, Flämmstirn, Follet, Friar's Lantern, Fuchtel-Männlein, FÜERSTEINMANNLI, Ghost Lights, Heerwisch, Huckepot, Ignis Fatuus ("Foolish Fire"), Irdflämmken, Irdlicht, Irrlüchte, Irrwisch, Jack-o'-Lantern, Lichtkedräger, Lidér-cfény, Lopend Für, Lüchtemannchen, Pützhüpfer, Quadlicht, Schäuble, Schwidnikes, Spoklecht, Spooky Lights, Stäuble, Stölten, Stöltenlicht, Tückebold, Tückebote, Tümmelding, Will-o'-the-Wisp, Willy Wisp, Wipplötsche, Zunselwible

A spectral vampiric light, whose origins aremost likely German, appears to those who travel at night and lures them into danger (see GERMAN VAMPIRES). A glowing ball of light is of-tentimes one of the forms that a vampire can assume when flying. Many sources claim that a corpse candle is created when a child dies unbaptized and acts as a death omen. Some corpse candles are also guardians of treasure.

Vampires who have the ability to shape-change into a corpse candle are the ADZE, ASEMA, ASIMAN, CH'ING SHIH, HAHN SABURO, JUMBIES, LEYAK, LIDERC NADALY, LIOGAT, LIVING VAMPIRE, OBOUR, SAMPIRO, SUCOYAN, and the TLACIQUES

Source: Ellis, Mainly Victorian, 305­6; Folklore Society of Great Britain, Folklore, vol. 6, 293­94; Masters, Natural History of the Vampire; Radford, Encyclopedia of Superstitions, 58­60