Luminous Bodies
Dead bodies are frequently supposed to glow in the dark with a sort of phosphorescent light. Possibly the belief arose from the idea that the soul was like a fire dwelling in the body.
Luther, Martin: The Rosicrucian. (See Rosicrucians.) Lutin, The: The Lutin of Normandy in many respects resembled Robin Goodfellow. Like him he had many names and like him had the power of assuming many forms: but the Lutin's pranks were usually of a more serious nature than those of the tricky spirit of Merrie England. Many a man laid his ruin at the Lutin's door, although it must be confessed that in these cases neighbours were uncharitable enough to say, that the Lutin had less to do with it than habits of Want-of-Thrift and Self-Indulgence. Thus, on market days, when a farmer lingered late over his ale, whether in driving a close bargain or in enjoying the society of a boon companion, he declared the Lutin was sure to play him some spiteful trick on his way home: his horse would stumble-he would be thrown-he would lose his purse-or else his way. If the farmer persisted in these habits, more serious would become the Lutin's tricks; the sheep-pens would be unfastened, the cow-house and stable doors left open, and the flocks and cattle be found moving among the standing corn and unmown hay ; while every servant on the farm would swear to his own innocence, and unhesitatingly lay the blame on the Lutin. Similar tricks were played on the fishermen by the Nain Rouge-another name for the Lutin. He opened the meshes of the nets and set the fish free; he removed the floats and let the nets sink to the bottom, or the sinkers, and let the nets float away on the retiring tide. True, if closely questioned, the fishermen would confess that on these occasions the night was dark and stormy, the bothy warm, and the grog plentiful, and that instead of drawing their nets at the proper time, they had delayed it till morning. Again, he would appear like a black nag, ready bridled and saddled, quietly feeding by the way-side; but woe to the luckless wight who mounted him!-unless, indeed, he did so for some charitable or holy purpose, in which case he was borne with the speed of the wind to his destination. In this form the Lutin played his wildest pranks and was called Le Cheval Bayard.