Lot 14b: MBO-02 M'boi Tata – The Fire Snake

Formed by part of the Scorpion constellation, the "Fire Snake" is a folk tale in Brazil (many people from rural areas swear to have seen a snake made of blue fire near a lake or a swamp). According to the Tupi-Guarani tale, M'boi Tata crawled out of the darkness after a great deluge, preying on the eyes of animals, making the snake increasingly luminous until it became fire itself. It's believed that fire snakes are Brazilian counterparts to the Will-o'-the-wisp, or ignis fatuus: a phenomenon caused by the natural oxidation of phosphine, diphosphane, and methane. These compounds, produced by organic decay, can cause photon emissions.