Forces of Nature

Various forces, processes and their effects have been fairly universally considered by humans as the result of the actions of living beings. Logically, there must have been great forces at play to make lightning or form the Earth.

In Estonia, the creator of thunder and lightning was believed to be an older man: called Vanataat - ‘Old Dad’, and or Vanaisa - ‘Grandfather’. The contemporary word for thunderstorm is äike, a diminutive form of äi - ‘old man’; lightning is pikne, or välk. However, ‘old’ also has the connotation of 'great', or 'grand'; the same way as in informal English ‘old’ is used for emphasis after adjectives like big, good, etc. ‘Old’ is also part of the name of the giant Vanapagan who acquired the malevolent features of the Christian devil (see below, as well as occuring in the names of constellations such as Old Wagon etc.

The children were threatened that if they were disobedient, God might throw a hot stone at them. Behind it could be the image of the lightning bolts thrown by Vanataat, which were equated with the flint tools of the ancient people. It was thought that they were initially hot lightning bolts, which later solidified into stones in the ground. One of the oldest known folklore texts in Estonian is the Pikse palve - ‘Prayer to Thunder’ (1644), where Thunder is asked for rain and an ox is offered in return.

In the Estonian worldview, the thunder god was probably one of several powerful creatures, responsible for his realm, but not ruling over other gods.

Similarly, there are Külmataat - ’Cold Dad’, Külmapoiss - ’Cold Boy’, Suitaat - ’Summer Dad’, All Vanamees - ’Frost Old Man’, Tuuleeit - ’Wind Mother’, Tuisu-Tõnu - ’Snowstorm Tõnu’, and other creatures moving around in nature, doing their jobs just like the people themselves.

The shape of the Earth was created and the stones were placed to a large extent by the giants, the best known of whom are Kalevipoeg, Suur Töll and his wife Piret, Leiger and his wife Tiiu; and the ogre Vanapagan. According to folk tales Kalevipoeg, who was later honoured as an Estonian national hero, ploughed, sowed and slept like a good farmer, so that powerful traces of him were left on the ground - ridges, stones and hills, some of which are ancient fortress sites. Songs about Kalevipoeg's activities as a national hero and ruler of Estonia were not of folk origin, but created by Friederich Reinhold Kreutzwald (1817-1803) for the epic "Kalevipoeg".

The mythological being Vanapagan - ‘Old Pagan’ - has various roles in Estonian folklore, but mostly of a negative character. Pagan means a non-Christian, and points to the pre-Christian origin of the giant. Vana - ‘old’ is probably in an emphatic sense, with the connotation of 'great', 'eternal' or simply derogatory. The name is also translated as 'Old Nick' and 'Old Heathen'. His various incarnations probably represent the different mythological beings that have become fused under the same name. 

Vanapagan was originally a landscape-shaping ogre, but occurs in folklore also as a malevolent nature spirit, or a  folksy version of the Christian Devil. In the older legends Vanapagan does not often differ from other giants who created large stone piles and mounds, and sometimes rivers and lakes.¹ The influence of Christianity contrasted Vanapagan with the emerging idea of supreme god and attributed to him the characteristics of the Devil. The nature giant Vanapagan is depicted as a somewhat simple-minded creature, while the Christian Devil is more evil and sharp and tries to get hold of a person's soul; however, a good and clever peasant can outwit both of them. Vanapagan is most afraid of lightning and wolves, but will never be completely destroyed.

This half-pagan, half-Christian mythical creature has a number of similar names: Vanakurat - ‘Old Devil’, Vanasarvik - ‘Old Horned’, Vanatühi - ‘Old Empty’, Vanajuudas - ‘Old Judas etc. Due to his multifaceted nature, Vanapagan can be found in different parts of the anthology.      

¹ There are also other stories about the formation of landforms, for example the formation of lakes is associated with forbidden love.

References: Laugaste, Liiv 1970, 1999; Loorits 1990; Masing 1995. 

Taive Särg