Estonian mythology

thumb|Fairy tales from Baltic shores p.279

thumb|Fairy tales from Baltic shores p.126

Estonian mythology is a complex of myths belonging to the Estonian folk heritage and literary mythology. Information about the pre-Christian and medieval Estonian mythology is scattered in historical chronicles, travellers' accounts and in ecclesiastical registers. Systematic recordings of Estonian folklore started in the 19th century. Pre-Christian Estonian deities may have included a god known as Jumal or Taevataat ("Old man of the sky") in Estonian, corresponding to Jumala in Finnish, and Jumo in Mari.

References to Estonian mythology

According to the Chronicle of Henry of Livonia in 1225 the Estonians disinterred the enemy's dead and burned them.

The solstice festival of Midsummer () celebrating the sun through solar symbols of bonfires, the tradition alive until the present day and numerous Estonian nature spirits: the sacred oak and linden were described by Balthasar Russow in 1578.

Motifs

Some traces of the oldest authentic myths may have survived in runic songs. There is a song about the birth of the world in which a bird lays three eggs and starts to lay out the nestlings. One becomes Sun, one becomes Moon and one becomes the Earth. Other Baltic Finnic peoples also have myths according to which the world has emerged from an egg.

The world of the Estonians' ancestors is believed to have turned around a pillar or a tree, to which the skies were nailed with the North Star. The Milky Way (Linnutee or Birds' Way in Estonian) was a branch of the World tree (Ilmapuu) or the way by which birds moved (and took the souls of the deceased to the other world). These myths were based on animistic beliefs.

Changes occurred in proto-Estonian mythology as a result of the contacts with Baltic and Germanic tribes, as well as the transition from hunting and gathering to farming. Personifications of celestial bodies, sky and weather deities and fertility gods gained importance in the world of the farmers. There may have been a sky and thunder god called Uku or Ukko, also called Vanaisa (Grandfather) or Taevataat (Sky Father). Proto Estonian pre-Christian deities also may have included a sky-god by name Jumal, known also by other Finnic peoples as Jumala in Finnish and Jumo in Mari.

Estonian legends about giants (Kalevipoeg, Suur Tõll, Leiger) may be a reflection of Germanic (especially Scandinavian) influences. Giants themselves in some stories stood as protectors against such Germanic influences, such as invasion. There are numerous legends interpreting various natural objects and features as traces of Kalevipoeg's deeds. The giant has merged with Christian Devil, giving birth to a new character – Vanapagan (a cunning demon living on his farm or manor) and his farm hand Kaval-Ants ("Crafty Hans").

Other mythical motifs from Estonian runic songs:

a mighty oak grows into the sky, is then felled and turned into various mythical objects
Sun, Moon and Star are the suitors of a young maiden, she finally accepts the Star
a crafty blacksmith forges a woman of gold but is not able to give her a soul or a mind
a holy grove starts to wither after having been desecrated by a love-making couple; only sacrificing nine brothers cleanses it
mighty heroes are not able to kill a terrible giant ox, but a little brother is
a woman is forced to kill her daughter who then goes to live in the heaven as the Air Maiden
a girl finds a fish and asks her brother to kill it – there is a woman inside the fish
young girls go out at night and young men from the holy grove (or the land of the dead) seduce them by offering them riches
a lake travels to another place when it has been desecrated by an inconsiderate woman or an incestuous couple

It has been suggested by ethnologist and former president Lennart Meri (among others), that a Kaali meteorite which passed dramatically over populated regions and landed on the island of Saaremaa around 3,000–4,000 years ago was a cataclysmic event that may have influenced the mythology of Estonia and neighboring countries, especially those from whose vantage point a "sun" seemed to set in the east.</blockquote>Some constructed elements are loans from Finnish mythology and may date back to the common Baltic-Finnic heritage.

Estonian mythological beings

Deities and Celestial Beings

Pikker (Äike), Thunder
Jumal, the Estonian word for God
Uku, the supreme god
Taara, also called Tharapita, Taarapita, Tarapita, the god of nature, and sometimes considered the supreme god
Taevataat, literally Sky Father, also called Vanaisa ("Grandfather")
Kuu, the Moon
Päike, the Sun
Täht, the Star
Koit, the personification of Dawn, a young man and lover of Hämarik
Hämarik, the personification of dusk, a beautiful young maiden and lover of Koit
Ehaema, Mother Twilight, a nocturnal spirit or elf, encouraging spinning
Ilmaneitsi, also called Ilmatütar, is an Air Maiden or Sky Maiden
Peko, Seto god of fertility and brewing
Maaemä, Mother Earth
Maajumalad, gods of Earth
Metsik, a fertility god
Rõugutaja, a female deity, protector of the rye crops and women in labor, deity protecting the city of Narva

Christian Saints as Deities

Jüri (St George), god of agriculture
Laurits (St Lawrence), god of fire
Mart (St Martin), god of fertility
Olev (St Olaf), mythical builder of St. Olaf's Church
Tõnn (St Anthony), fertility god of the crops and pigs

Nature Spirits

Haldjas (the ruler), elf, fairy, protector spirit of some place, person, plant or animal
Metsaema, the Mother of Forest
Metsavana, the Old Man of the Forest
Veteema, the Mother of Waters
Vetevana, the Father of Waters
Näkk, a shapeshifting water spirit
Tuule-Emä, the Mother Wind
Tuuleisa, Father Wind
Tuulispask, Whirlwind
Pakane, Frost
Hiis, holy grove
Majauss, literally meanas house snake, a domestic grass-snake and protector spirit
Hoidja, a protector, keeper
Kaitsja, a protector
Peremees, literally familyman and means master or boss, traditionally the manor lord
Murueit, a female spirit of forest and earth, connected to the land of the dead
Murueide Tütred, the daughters of Murueit, beautiful maidens
Ilo, the hostess of feasts and joy
Järvevana, the Old Man from the Lake

Other figures

Jutta, queen of the birds, daughter of Taara
Veehaldjas, spirit of the water, the weaver of a spring Ahjualune
Kaval-Ants, translates to clever, crafty, or sly Hans, he is a farm hand who deceives Vanapagan
Tuuslar, a sorcerer living in Finland
Lapi nõid, witch of Lapland

Legendary figures

Kalevipoeg, Kalevine, Sohni, Soini, Osmi, giant hero, mythical ancient king of Estonia
Linda, mother of Kalevipoeg
Suur Tõll, giant hero living in Saaremaa Island
Piret, wife of Suur Tõll
Leiger, a giant living in Hiiumaa island, younger brother of "Suur Tõll"
Alevipoeg, Alev's son, a friend of Kalevipoeg
Olevipoeg, a friend of Kalevipoeg, a city builder, related to Saint Olaf
Sulevipoeg, Sulev's son, friend of Kalevipoeg
Tietäjä, a wise man, shaman, or singer
Ilmarine, Ilmasepp, a mythical blacksmith (cf. Ilmarinen)
Giant, a giant
Udres-Kudres, a serf, called "Son of the Sun", hero of folksongs

Spirits, Demons, and the Underworld

Toonela, also called Manala, land of the dead
Tooni, god of death, ruler of the dead
Vanapagan ("The Old Heathen"), Vanatühi, Vanakuri, Vanapoiss, Vanasarvik, Vanataat, The Devil
Äiatar, a female demon, the Devil's daughter
Kratt, also called Pisuhänd, Tulihänd, Hännamees, Puuk, a demon who stole and brought goods
Ebajalg, demonic whirlwind
Härjapõlvlane, leprechaun
Eksitaja, an evil spirit who makes people lose their way
Kodukäija, a restless visitant ghost
Libahunt, Sutekskäija, werewolf
Liiva-Annus or Surm, Death
Mana, a hypothetical ruler of the dead
Manalane, inhabitant of the land of the dead
Kalmuneiu, Maiden of the Grave

Cosmology

Kalm, a grave or spirit of a dead person, sometimes the ruler of the land of the dead
Kääbas, a grave or death spirit
Hingeliblikas, a person's spirit in the form of a moth
Hingeloom, a person's spirit in the form of an insect or a small animal
Hiiela, another world, land of the dead
Hiieneitsid, maidens from the land of the dead
Hall, personification of malaria
Katk, personification of plague
Külmking, a spirit of an unholy dead
Luupainaja, Painaja, incubus, nightmare
Maa-alune, a creature living under the earth
Marras, spirit of death, predictor of death
Koerakoonlane, a demonic warrior with a dog snout
Peninukk, half-demonic warrior
Pardiajaja, half-demonic warrior
Tont, ghost
Koll, also known as Kolumats, Kaevukoll, Mumm, bogey or bogeyman
Juudaline, demon
Põrguneitsi, literally: virgin of Hell
Nõid, witch
Lendva, an illness sent by an evil witch
Hännamees, a demon who stole and brought food or money
Varavedaja, loot carrier
Varjuline, shadowling
Mereveised, Sea cows
Virmalised, Polar Lights
Tallaja, trampler
Tõnn, fairy, fertility god
Lendva, an illness sent by an evil witch
Hännamees, a demon who stole and brought food or money
Varavedaja, loot carrier
Varjuline, shadowling
Mereveised, Sea cows
Virmalised, Polar Lights
Tallaja, trampler
Tõnn, fairy, fertility god
Vihelik, a spirit or being associated with the wind or quick movements, often appearing in folk songs
Vilbus, a spirit or creature typically mentioned in the context of natural phenomena; it is sometimes associated with the rustling of grain or the shifting of the wind.
Viruskundra, a domestic spirit. In Estonian tradition, children are told that when they lose a milk tooth
Penn
Rongo, protector of household wealth or specific agricultural tasks
Rukkihunt, the "Rye Wolf," this is a spirit of the rye fields
Salme, the sister of Linda (the mother of the hero Kalevipoeg
Tikutaja, a spirit associated with the snipe bird or spirits that make repetitive, rhythmic noises in nature
Tulbigas, a mythical figure or spirit occasionally referenced in regional Estonian folklore, though it does not play a major role in the literary pantheon.
Turis, a figure sometimes associated with the protection of cattle or the household

Estonian mythical objects

White Ship (valge laev), mythical ship that brings freedom or takes people away to a better land, the myth was born around 1860 when a small sect led by Juhan Leinberg (also known as Prophet Maltsvet) gathered near Tallinn to wait for a white ship to take them away.
Hat of fingernails (küüntest kübar), makes the bearer, usually Vanatühi) invisible
Letter gloves (kirikindad), gloves with protective or magic powers, especially church letter gloves and the gloves that sailors wore, decorated with geometric patterns and narrow red stripes, the crafter used to sing while making to put spells in them
Letter Belt (kirivöö), red woven belts and laces were a common item to sacrifice, tied to the branches of holy trees or around parts of the body that were sick and pulled tightly around the waist, worn to protect and give strength to the bearer
Sacred stones, were erratics or unique stones often with holes in them, considered sacred, people came to them to sacrifice silver, blood, red ribbons and coins and ask for prosperity, according to paleoastronomer Heino Eelsalu they may have been used as calendars
Travelling forests, sentient forests that relocate when people do evil things, most stories about travelling forests are found in coastal areas of Estonia.

References

External links

The Hero of Esthonia, collected Estonian tales, edited by W. F. Kirby
Taarapita – the great god of the Oeselians, an article by Urmas Sutrop
Introduction to Baltic Folklore from the University of Toronto