Fetch (Doppelgänger)
To see your own double is to see your death. The fetch appears as an exact copy of a living person. Seen in the morning, it means long life. Seen at night, death will come swiftly.
The Fetch is the Irish version of the doppelgänger.
The Legend
According to Irish and Germanic folklore, a Fetch is an exact double of a living person, a spirit counterpart that appears near death or at significant moments. It serves as an omen of fate.
The Sighting
The meaning depends on the time of day. Seeing your fetch in the morning means long life ahead. Evening sightings indicate illness coming. Night sightings mean death approaches. When seen by others, it’s a warning. If you see it yourself, imminent death follows.
Differences from Ghost
The Fetch differs from a ghost in key ways. It appears while the person still lives, is an exact duplicate, can interact with the world, and acts independently. It’s not a haunting.
Famous Cases
Historical examples include Percy Bysshe Shelley, who saw his fetch and died shortly after. Abraham Lincoln reportedly saw his double as well.
The German Doppelgänger
The related concept is the “Double walker,” a spirit double. Seeing it brings death or signifies a crisis. This is a pan-European belief.
The Shadow Self
Psychological interpretation connects to Jung’s shadow concept—the hidden self, confronting mortality, self-awareness, and inner duality.
Modern Reports
People still report seeing exact doubles of themselves or others before deaths or crises. Medical explanations exist, but the mystery remains.
Sources
See your double walking toward you and know your time grows short. The fetch is death’s messenger, wearing your face, living your last moments before you do. In Ireland, they still watch for it, the spirit double that means the end has come.