VLF sprites are identified by high angle scattering of VLF transmissions by the conducting plasma columns which appear as the luminous columns of red sprites. VLF sprites are early/fast Trimpis and probably vice versa. Recently discovered properties of early/fast Trimpis are the logarithmic decay of the amplitude of the scattered signal and monotonic variation of its phase. These properties are explained in terms of scattering from a vertical column or set of columns extending from 50 km (or lower) altitude to about 80 km. ¿ 1997 American Geophysical Union