Tradition: Dutch Mythology
Alternative Names: –
Category: Flame
The Myth
The Dwaallicht is a mysterious wandering light that appears at night, floating above the ground or over water. It may appear as a single flame or as several lights, glowing white, yellow, green, or blue. Blue Dwaallichten are said to reveal the locations of hidden treasures, tempting those who encounter them to follow their flickering glow into the darkness.
These wandering flames are commonly believed to be the souls of criminals or unbaptized children, doomed to roam the places where they committed their crimes or where they perished. They often appear above marshes, pools, and other bodies of water, where they hop and dance toward unsuspecting travellers, leading them astray until they become lost or drown. A wanderer may release a trapped soul by baptizing it, allowing it to find peace. However, they may suddenly be surrounded by a thousand more lights seeking baptism, forcing them to continue until dawn.
The Dwaallicht possesses other strange powers and meanings. It is said that a person can become invisible by rubbing themselves with the fat of these little flames. The lights may also appear as omens of future construction, heralding the place where a house will later be built or where a canal or railway will eventually run.
Sources
Abe de Verteller. (2014). Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten. In AbeDeVerteller.nl, from https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/