The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That Country

SECTION II. Orphan and Foundling Stories

ORPHAN AND FOUNDLING STORIES THE WOOD OF TONTLA 237 THE KING OF THE MISTY HILL 259 THE ORPHAN'S HANDMILL 260 THE ORPHAN BOY AND THE HELL-HOUNDS 261 THE EGG-BORN PRINCESS 273 THE ROYAL HERD-BOY 279 TIIDU, THE FLUTE-PLAYER 303 THE LUCKY EGG 308 THE MAGICIAN IN THE POCKET 321 THE GOD-DAUGHTER OF THE ROCK-MAIDENS 321 THE FOUNDLING 321

CONTENTS OF VOL. II

PART II ESTHONIAN FOLK-TALES—(continued)

SECTION III. Cosmopolitan Stories

COSMOPOLITAN STORIES PAGE BLUEBEARD (THE WIFE-MURDERER) 1 CINDERELLA (TUHKA TRIINU) 4 THE DRAGON-SLAYER (THE LUCKY ROUBLE) 6 THE DWARF'S CHRISTENING 8 THE ENVIOUS SISTERS (THE PRINCE WHO RESCUED HIS BROTHERS) 9 THE GIFTED BROTHERS (SWIFTFOOT, QUICKHAND, AND SHARPEYE) 12 THE SWIFT-FOOTED PRINCESS 23 THE IDIOT'S LUCK (STRANGE TALE OF AN OX) 24 THE MAGICIAN'S HEIRS (THE DWARFS' QUARREL) 24 THE MAN IN THE MOON 29 VIDEVIK, KOIT, AND ÄMARIK 30 THE MAIDEN AT THE VASKJALA BRIDGE 34 THE WOMAN IN THE MOON 37 POLYPHEMUS 38 RED RIDING-HOOD (THE DEVIL'S VISIT) 38 SNOWWHITE, THE GLASS MOUNTAIN, AND THE DESPISED YOUNGEST SON (THE PRINCESS WHO SLEPT FOR SEVEN YEARS) 40 THE THREE SISTERS 43 THE THREE WISHES (LOPPI AND LAPPI) 45 THE WITCH-BRIDE (RÕUGUTAJA'S DAUGHTER) 45 THE STEPMOTHER 46

SECTION IV. Familiar Stories of Northern Europe

FAMILIAR STORIES OF NORTHERN EUROPE MELUSINA 48 THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE (THE POWERFUL CRAYFISH AND THE INSATIABLE WIFE) 48 THE MERMAID 49 HOW THE SEA BECAME SALT 70 THE TWO BROTHERS AND THE FROST 71 THE SOLDIER AND THE DEVIL 76

SECTION V. Stories of the Gods and Spirits of the Elements

STORIES OF THE GODS AND SPIRITS OF THE ELEMENTS THE SONG-GOD'S DEPARTURE 81 JUTTA 85 THE TWELVE DAUGHTERS 87 THE FOUR GIFTS OF THE WATER-SPRITE 98 THE LAKE-DWELLERS 98 THE FAITHLESS FISHERMAN 104 THE MERMAID AND THE LORD OF PAHLEN 106 THE SPIRITS OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS 107 THE SPIRIT OF THE WHIRLWIND 110 THE WILL O' THE WISPS 111 THE FOUNDLING 112 THE CAVE-DWELLERS 114 THE COMPASSIONATE WOODCUTTER 125 CHRISTIAN VARIANT OF SAME 127 THE GOOD DEED REWARDED 128

SECTION VI. Heath Legends

HEATH LEGENDS THE WONDERFUL HAYCOCK 133 THE MAGIC EGG 134 SECTION VII LAKE LEGENDS LAKE PEIPUS 136 THE LAKE AT EUSEKÜLL 142 EMMU LAKE AND VIRTS LAKE 144 THE BLUE SPRING 145 THE BLACK POOL 146 SECTION VIII STORIES OF THE DEVIL AND OF BLACK MAGIC THE SON OF THE THUNDER-GOD 149 THE MOON-PAINTER 159 THE TREASURE-BRINGER 168 THE WOODEN MAN AND THE BIRCH-BARK MAID 180 THE COMPASSIONATE SHOEMAKER 182 MISCELLANEOUS STORIES OF THE DEVIL 185 MARTIN AND HIS DEAD MASTER 188 THE HUNTER'S LOST LUCK 191 THE COINERS OF LEAL 192 THE BEWITCHED HORSE 193

SECTION IX. Hidden Treasures

HIDDEN TREASURES THE COURAGEOUS BARN-KEEPER 195 THE GALLOWS-DWARFS 210 THE TREASURE AT KERTELL 222 THE GOLDEN SNAKES 224 THE DEVIL'S TREASURE 225 THE NOCTURNAL CHURCH-GOERS 226

SECTION X. Oriental Tales

ORIENTAL TALES THE MAIDENS WHO BATHED IN THE MOONLIGHT 233 THE NORTHERN FROG 237 SECTION XI CHURCH STORIES THE CHURCH AT REVEL 262 THE CHURCH AT PÜHALEPP 263 THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS 265 THE CHURCH AT FELLIN 265 SECTION XII UNNATURAL BROTHERS THE RICH BROTHER AND THE POOR ONE 267 SECTION XIII PLAGUE-LEGENDS 271 SECTION XIV BEAST-STORIES WOLF-STORIES 274 THE MAN WITH THE BAST SHOES 278 WHY THE DOG AND CAT AND THE CAT AND MOUSE ARE ENEMIES 282 THE ORIGIN OF THE SWALLOW 283 THE SPIDER AND THE HORNET 284 THE OFFICIOUS FLIES 285 PART III ESTHONIAN BALLADS, &c. THE HERALD OF WAR 285 THE BLUE BIRD (I.) 292 THE BLUE BIRD (II.) 296 CHARM AGAINST SNAKE-BITE 298 BIBLIOGRAPHY 299 INDEX AND GLOSSARY 305

PREFACE

When I took up the study of the Kalevala and Finnish literature, with the intention of publishing a critical English edition of the poem, on which I am still engaged, the accumulation of the necessary materials led me to examine the literature of the neighbouring countries likewise. I had expected to find the Kalevipoeg an Esthonian variant of the Kalevala ; but I found it so dissimilar, and at the same time so interesting, when divested of the tedious and irrelevant matter that has been added to the main story, that I finally decided to publish a full account of it in prose, especially as nothing of the kind has yet been attempted in English, beyond a few casual magazine articles.

The Esthonian folk-tales are likewise of much interest, and in many cases of an extremely original character; and these also have never appeared in an English dress. I have, therefore, selected a [Pg x]

sufficiently representative series, and have added a few ballads and short poems. This last section of the work, however, amounts to little more than an appendix to the Kalevipoeg, though it is placed at the end of the book. Esthonian ballad literature is of enormous extent, and only partially investigated and published at present, even in the original; and it would therefore be premature to try to treat of it in detail here, nor had I time or space to attempt it. I had, however, intended to have included a number of poems from Neus' Ehstnische Volkslieder in the present volumes, but found that it was unnecessary, as Latham has already given an English version of most of the best in his "Nationalities of Europe."

The Introduction and Notes will, it is hoped, be sufficiently full to afford all necessary information for the intelligent comprehension of the book, without overloading it; and it has been decided to add a sketch-map of this little known country, including some of the places specially referred to. But Esthonian folk-literature, even without the ballads, is a most extensive study, and I do not pretend to do more than offer a few specimens culled from some of the most easily accessible sources. My professional work does not allow me time to attempt [Pg xi] more at present; and it is from the same cause that my work on the Kalevala has been delayed so long.

In outlying parts of Europe like Finland and Esthonia, which were not Christianised till long after the southern and western countries, primitive literature has survived to a much greater extent than elsewhere; and the publication of the Kalevala and the Kalevipoeg during the present century furnishes a striking example before our very eyes of the manner in which the Iliad and the Odyssey grew up among the Greeks, before these poems were edited in the form in which they have come down to us, by order of Pisistratus.

The principal books used in the preparation of this work are mentioned in the short Bibliography. The names of others quoted or referred to will be found in the Index, which has also been drawn up in such a manner as to form a general glossary.

W.F. KIRBY.

Chiswick, September 1894.

INTRODUCTION

ESTHONIA

Esthonia, or Estonia, as some prefer to write it, is the most northerly of the three so-called German or Baltic provinces of Russia—Esthonia, Livonia, and Courland. It is bounded on the north by the Gulf of Finland, which lies between that country and Esthonia; on the east by the Government of St. Petersburg; on the south by Livonia, and on the west by the Baltic. Opposite its western coast lie numerous large islands, the most important of which are Dagö and Oesel; these islands nearly close the north-west corner of the Gulf of Riga.

The northern part of Livonia (including the island of Oesel, already mentioned) is partly inhabited by Esthonians, and is dealt with in popular literature as forming part of the country. The four provinces of Esthonia proper, which are constantly referred to, [Pg xiv] are as follows, the German names being added in brackets. Two western, Arju or Harju (Harrien) on the north, and Lääne (Wiek) on the south; one central, Järva (Jerwen), and one eastern, Viru (Wierland). East of Livonia lies the great Lake Peipse or Peipus, eighty miles long and thirty-two miles broad at the broadest part, across which the son of Kalev is said to have waded to fetch timber from Pihgast or Pleskau, which name is used to include the Russian province of Pskov, bordering the lake on the south and south-east. At two-thirds of its length the lake is divided nearly in two, and the southern portion is sometimes called Lake Pskov. It may have been across the narrow part between the two ends of the lake that the hero is supposed to have waded, when, even during a great storm, the water reached only to his girdle.

The coast of Esthonia is rocky, but the interior of the country is very marshy, though there are no navigable rivers or lakes of much importance except Lake Peipus, which we have already mentioned. Small lakes, however, are very numerous, the largest being Lake Virts.

Esthonia was one of the countries conquered during the Middle Ages by the crusading German [Pg xv] Knights of the Sword, and has been described as a country with a Finnish population and a German aristocracy under Russian rule. Occasionally we meet with reminiscences of oppression by the German nobility in the songs and tales; as, for instance, in the story of the Royal Herd-boy; while everything beautiful or above the ordinary life of the peasants is characterised as Saxon.

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