Timekeeping
The passage of time throughout the year was marked by the calendar holdaysi, which were linked to the changing seasons. The yearly rhythm of life and work depended on the annual processes of nature.
An oral calendar of "counting weeks" was used - counting the weeks from one holiday to the next. This matched to the lunar calendar, as one phase of the month lasts about a week. Counting the weeks usually started on Candlemas, but it was also common to start in autumn.
In the following examples of weeks counting, two different beginnings are visible - counting autumn and spring holidays. In autumn, time is counted from one holiday to the next, while in spring it is counted from Candlemas. The adjustment of the weeks of the lunar calendar to the fixed dates of the solar calendar was more complicated, as can be seen in the last line of the following example: where there is an imprecise figure, the meaning is 'ten to eleven' weeks.
From Michaelmas six weeks to Martinmas,
from Martinmas two to St Catherine's,
from St Catherine's four to Christmas,
from Christmas six to Candlemas,
from Candlemas seven to Lenten Mary,
seven to letting out pigs,
eight to letting out cattle,
ten to plough and
eleven-ten weeks to St George's.
Comment. The oral calendar, called Lugunädalad 'The count of weeks', was used. In the present example the verse lines 1–4 count weeks between two holidays, and the lines 5–9 the weeks from the Candlemas to the next holidays.
Mihklipäevast kuus märti,
märdist kaks katri,
kadrist neli jõulu,
jõulust kuus küünlapäeva,
küünlapäevast seitse maarjapäeva,
seitse sikku1,
kaheksa karjalaskmisse,
kümme kündi ja
üksteist-kümme jüripäeva.
1 seitse nädalat sigade väljalaskmiseni maarjapäeval
Seletus. Ridades 1–4, on arvestatud aega ühest pühast teiseni, ridades 5–9 aga kõiki pühi alates küünlapäevast.
From Martinmas two weeks to St Catherine's,
four to Christmas,
six to Candlemas,
seven to pigs – then the pigs were let out –,
eight to [letting out] cattle,
ten to plough,
in nine weeks the horses out through nights,
ten to St George's.
So, there were ten weeks from Candlemas to St George's day.
Comment. The verses 1–3 count weeks between two holidays: from Martinmas two weeks to St Catherine's, from St Catherine's four to Christmas, from Christmas six to Candlemas. The verses 4–8 all count weeks from Candlemas: seven to St. Mary's day when pigs were let out, eight to cattle letting out, etc.
Mardist kaks katri,
neli jõulu,
kuus küünlapäeva,
seitse sikku – siis lasti sead välja –,
kaheksa karja,
üheksa nädala pärast hobused õitsi,
kümme jüripäeva.
Nii et siis küünlapäevast on jüripäevani kümme nädalat.
Seletus. Ridades 1–3, on arvestatud aega ühest pühast teiseni: mardipäevast kaks nädalat kadripäevani, kadripäevast neli jõuluni, jõulust kuus küünlapäevani. Ridades 4–7 aga arvestatakse kõiki pühi alates küünlapäevast, kust on seitse nädalat paastumaarjapäevani, mil lasti sead välja, kaheksa karjalaskepäevani, üheksa hobuste öise karjataimse ehk õitsil kämiseni.
April was about to visit March. March was very windy and cold, and April had to turn back from the road. April went to May to complain about her problem. May said: "When you go to visit March, take a sleigh, a cart, and a boat with you."
April was again preparing to visit March. He took a sleigh and a cart with him and also put the boat on the cart. March saw April come and ride the sleigh. Then March made a thaw and melted the snow. April harnessed the horse to the front of the cart and put the sleigh on the cart. Then March started a flood. April put everything in the boat and sailed across the high water. Now there was nothing March could do. April came to visit him, and he had to receive April.
Later May came to visit April and asked: "So how was visiting March?" April said: "Thank you for teaching me! I made it there." April gladly received May, and they were good friends. They went together for a few weeks. Then May let out a big heat, and April had to leave May and go home. He could not stand the heat. They said to May: "Next year, I won't let you come as soon as you did this year!"
Aprill hakkas Märtsile külla minema. Märts tegi suure tuisu ja külma ja Aprill pidi tee pealt tagasi pöörama. Aprill läks Maile oma muret kurtma. Mai ütles: „Kui sa lähed Märtsile külla, siis võta kaasa regi, vanker ja paat.“
Aprill hakkas teist korda Märtsile külla minema. Võttis kaasa ree ja vankri ning pani paadi ka peale. Märts nägi, et Aprill tuleb ja sõidab reega. Siis tegi Märts sulailma ja sulatas lume ära. Aprill rakendas hobuse vankri ette ja pani ree vankrile. Siis lasi Märts suurvee voolama. Aprill pani kõik paati ja sõitis üle suurvee. Nüüd ei saanud Märts enam midagi teha. Aprill tuli tema poole külla ja ta pidi Aprilli vastu võtma.
Hiljem tuli Mai Aprillile külla ja küsis: „Kuidas siis Märtsil külas käimine läks?“ Aprill ütles: „Aitäh sulle, et mind õpetasid! Jõudsin õnnelikult pärale.“ Aprill võttis Mai hea meelega vastu ja nad olid sõbramehed. Käisid paar nädalat kahekesi koos. Siis lasi Mai suure sooja välja ja Aprill pidi Maist lahkuma ja koju minema. Ta ei kannatanud sooja. Ütles Maile: „Järgmisel aastal ei lase ma sul nii ruttu tulla kui sel aastal!“
The hour of the spirits starts at 12 midnight. But when the roosters start crowing, the hour is over.
Vaimude tund algab kell 12 öösel. Aga kui kuked hakkavad laulma, siis on see tund lõppenud.