Willothewisp.nl - Will-o'-the-wisp Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

The will-o'-the-wisp is a flame-like phosphorescence caused by gases from decaying plants in marshy areas. In olden days, it was personified as "Will with the wisp," a sprite who carried a fleeting " wisp " of light. Foolish travelers were said to try to follow the light and were then led astray into the marsh.

The will-o'-the-wisp is a flame-like phosphorescence caused by gases from decaying plants in marshy areas. In olden days, it was personified as "Will with the wisp," a sprite who carried a fleeting " wisp " of light.

Will-o-the-wisp is a part of the folklore in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and Uruguay. Boi-tatá (Portuguese pronunciation: [bojtaˈta]) is the Brazilian equivalent of the will-o'-the-wisp.

"Mother Carey" wrote a popular 19th-century poem titled "Will-O'-The-Wisp". The Will o' the wisp makes an appearance in the first chapter of Bram Stoker 's Dracula, as the Count, masquerading as his own coach driver, takes Jonathan Harker to his castle in the night.