Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative Names: The Fiery Corpse
Category: Flame
The Myth
The Fiery Body is a terrifying supernatural apparition from the folklore of the Passeier Valley in the Tyrol. It appears as a fiery red human body rushing through the air, spitting flames as it flies. The apparition is said to be the spirit of a wicked man who died without repentance after repeatedly breaking the Sabbath and mocking religion.
According to the legend, a man living on an isolated mountain farm became gravely ill after injuring his foot while hunting in the forest on a Sunday. His wound worsened until he was consumed by a deadly fever. Although his neighbours urged him to abandon his wicked ways, he refused to listen. Even when a priest tried to persuade him to repent, the man responded with contempt, throwing a plate at the priest and remaining defiant until his final moments.
As the man lay dying, his household begged the priest to return and save his soul. The priest hurried up the mountain with his sacristan, carrying the Holy Sacrament. Near the farm, they suddenly encountered a blazing red body hurtling through the air directly toward them. Recognising the apparition as the body of the unrepentant sinner, the sacristan fell to the ground in terror. The priest remained calm, declaring that Christ was with them. The fiery apparition swept past without harming either man before plunging down the terrible precipice of the Matatz Valley.
Sources
Von Günther, Amalia. Tales and Legends of the Tyrol. London: Chapman and Hall, 1874.