Tradition: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternative Names: –
Category: Flame
The Myth
Der feurige Mann, the Fiery Man, is the restless spirit of a notorious miser from Nennig, a village opposite Remich. Known as Kronenmichel, he amassed considerable wealth through greed and dishonest dealings. He hoarded grain and money, exploited others for profit, and moved boundary stones to steal land from his neighbours. His ill-gotten fortune brought him riches in life, but after death he was condemned to wander the countryside as a tormented spirit.
One night, while returning home from a market, Michel fell victim to the will-o’-the-wisps. The mischievous lights arranged themselves to resemble the welcoming lights of his hometown, deceiving him into believing he was following the right road. Instead, they led him into a dangerous marsh. As he wandered deeper into the bog, the ground swallowed him gradually, while the lights danced around him and clapped their hands in delight. Michel cursed and swore terribly, but his struggles were useless. At last, the mud closed over his head, and the countryside fell silent.
Since then, Kronenmichel has haunted the fields around Nennig at night, carrying a glowing boundary stone upon his shoulder. He runs restlessly across the land, tormented by the same dishonest act that defined his life. From time to time, he cries out in despair, “Where shall I put this boundary stone?” Unable to escape his punishment, the greedy man is condemned to search eternally for a place to set down the stone he once moved to steal another person’s land.
Sources
La Fontaine, Edmond de. Luxemburger Sagen und Legenden. Luxemburg: Jos. Beffort, 1882.