Giants, mythological kings

English
The Old Devil’s brush

If the end of the log becomes frizzy while cutting, it would be the Old Devil’s brush. A cross should be made on it, or the devil (lit. Old Boy) would brush his hair with this.

 

Vanapagana hari

Kui lõikudes puuots käharikuks jääb siis olevat see vanapagana pea ari – sellele tehakse rist peale muidu sugivat vanapois sellega oma pead. 

Viljandi. Koguja Heinrich Masing 1890. H II 7, 319 (28). Inglise tõlge: Maarja Villandi-Reiljan.

English
Old Devil turns the wind

The heater of a barn oven or another grain winnower whistles, when the wind tends to quiet down to pick it up again. The one turning away the wind and teasing at such work is the Old Bogy or Devil.


 

Helme khk. Koguja Aleksander Wahlberg 1860/80. ERA II 198, 462 (1). Inglise tõlge: Maarja Villandi-Reiljan.

Audio file
English
Just a kiss

I went to get a broom from the forest,
a tin broom from the pathway,
a copper broom from the green,
a silver broom from behind the yard,
a golden broom from the copse,
a verdant broom from the meadows.
    When I got to that hill of Sulev,
when I reached that hill of Kalev,
there stood the son of Sulev,
there stood a stronger son of Kalev,
he begged from me just a kiss,
just a kiss, my hand just out of spite.
    I had a knife so sharp,
under my lapels I had a verdant sword.
I just hit the son of Sulev,
out of spite, I hit the stronger son of Kalev,
I pierced his flesh so fair,
I pierced his continence so ruddy,
I pierced his new grey cloak,
I pierced his continence so ruddy.
Then I ran home crying.
    Mother came toward me, mother and father,
mother answered gently,
father [asked] with wise words:
“Why are you crying, daughter, our young one?”
    “I went to get a broom from the forest,
a tin broom from the pathway,
a copper broom from the green,
a golden broom from the copse,
a silver broom from behind the yard,
a verdant broom from the meadows.
    When I got to that hill of Sulev,
there stood the son of Sulev,
there stood a stronger son of Kalev,
he begged from me just a kiss,
just a kiss, my hand just out of spite.
    I had a knife so sharp,
under my lapels I had a verdant sword.
I pierced his flesh so fair,
I pierced his continence so ruddy,
I pierced his new grey cloak,
I pierced his flaming red hair.”
    Mother replied, father replied:
“Good for you, dear daughter,
for protecting your honour,
for slaying the great dog!”

Eesti
Suisa suud

Läksin metsast luuda tooma,
tinaluuda teerajalta,
vaskiluuda vainu'ulta,
õbeluuda õue alta,
kuldaluuda koppelista,
all´ast luuda einamaalta.
    Sain sinna Sulevi mäele,
sain sinna Kalevi mäele.
Siäl seisis Sulevipoega,
sääl seisis kangemat Kalevipoega,
küsis multa suisa suuda,
suisa suuda, kiusta kätte1.
    Mul oli nuga teräva,
alla hõlma all´as mõõka.
Suisa lõin Sulevipoega,
kiuste lõin kangemat Kalevipoega,
lõin läbi ta ihu ilusa,
lõin läbi ta paleda punase,
lõin läbi ta alli uue kuue,
lõin läbi ta paleda punase.
Isi nuttes kojuje.
    Eite vasta, eite-taati.
Eite vastas ellitelles,
taati targula sõnula:
“Mis sina nutad, tütär noori?”
    “Läksin metsä kõndimaie,
tinaluuda teerajalta,
vaskiluuda vainu'ulta,
kuldaluuda koppelista,
õbeluuda hõue halta,
all´ast luuda einamaalta.
    Sain sinna ju Sulevi mäele,
sääl seisis Sulevipoega,
sääl seisis kallimat Kalevipoega,
küsis multa suisa suuda,
suisa suuda, kiusta kätte.
    Mul oli nuga terava,
alla hõlma all´as mõõka.
Lõin läbi ta ihu ilusa,
lõin läbi ta paleda punase,
lõin läbi ta halli huue kuue,
lõin läbi ta ruugete juukste.”
    Eite vastas, taati vastas:
“Ole terve, tütrekene,
oma au kaitsemasta,
suurta koera surmamasta!”

1 kiuste kätt

Marie Sepp, 74 a. Kolga-Jaani khk, Soosaare v. Kogujad Herbert Tampere ja August Pulst, 1937. ERA, Pl 29 A1. Ilmunud: ERMA, nr 80.

English
Saint George is the governor of wolves

My grandmother told that this Saint George is the governor of wolves, and that Saint George bids the wolf to shut its mouth and the wolf has to listen to him and it does so. When Saint George tells not to touch, the wolf doesn’t. So, the only governor.

Püha Jüri on huntide valitseja

Toda vanaema rääkis, et seesamane Püha Jüri on huntide valitseja. Et Püha Jüri paneb tema suu kinni ja hunt peab tema sõna kuulama ja kuulab kah. Et kui Jüri keelab, et ei tohi puutu, siis ta ei puudu. Et ainuke valitseja. 

Hilda Kuldma 83 a, Võnnu khk, Vana-Kastre k. Koguja Mall Hiiemäe 1986. RKM II 395, 234 (102). Inglise tõlge: Maarja Villandi-Reiljan.

English
The king of the snakes has a red crown

The king of the snakes was supposed to wear a large red crown. He smashed a man right dead when anything bad was done to him. There is no way out of this.
 

Tartu
Ussikuningal on punane kroon

Ussikuningal pidi olema suur punane kroon peas. Too pressis kohe inimese puruks, kui talle halba tehti. Selle eest pääsu ei ole. 

Hilda Osula 79 a. Võnnu khk, Kurista k. Koguja Kadri Tamm (Peebo) 1986. RKM II 397, 31 (11).  Eesti tõlge: Mathilda Matjus, inglise: Maarja Villandi-Reiljan.