There are many fascinating mythical creatures in Estonian mythology and folklore.
Metsik is the forest guardian.
In the primeval Estonian tales,
Metsik were wood elves that lived everywhere surrounded by trees,
From shallow swamp forests to coniferous woodlands.
When Metsik appears to people,
They take a form of a wild animal,
A bird,
Or a handsome tree.
A singing bird can be Metsik,
And they sing songs that humans can understand.
They can also understand the language of the aspen tree that rustles in the wind,
For that aspen tree is Metsik.
Metsik is the guardian spirit of the woodlands.
They do not approve of cutting trees,
Burning fires,
And above all,
Trashing.
When people enter the woods with cruel intentions,
Metsik misleads them away from their sacred home.
Alikaravitsea is a healer spirit who lives in the hot springs,
In the boiling waters.
There is also a great amount of sand,
Which can seemingly create the forms of a human body.
Reflections from the nearby trees and bushes may transform into human figures as well.
Spirit reveals itself to the one who is carrying a ritual.
They toss a coin into the spring and name their concern.
Spirit of the spring is also pleased when scraps of silver are left as a sacrifice.
Alikaravitsea rarely reveals herself,
But one can hear her voice which sounds like a coming from the water.
Hid has two meanings in Estonian language.
Hid can mean a sacred grove,
An old pagan worshipping place in nature.
Hid is also a king or guardian spirit of the sacred grove.
It is a giant-sized elf who has a low,
Deep voice and they can speak all languages of humans,
Trees and animals.
Hid can transform itself and take the shape of a bull elk,
A tree or a mountain.
Sometimes Hid can fall asleep for several years and turn into a hill,
A giant boulder that no one ever recognizes and wakes up.
Sovana is the guardian spirit of wetlands.
He appears in the mist or bog.
Sometimes the mist takes unusual shapes,
Which probably inspired the legend of Sovana.
If bog turf has an unusual amount of cranberries,
Sovana has cranberries growing in his hair.
He is not to be disturbed for he experiences periods of sadness and melancholy and even picking cranberries might anger him.
Murumem is the mother of meadows.
She is the protector of fields and farms.
She is very interested in the well-being of people and shares old folk wisdom with them.
Murumem loves to take care of the land and do things together.
She is the caretaker of bees,
Which are her sacred animals.
Kivi Alune is a small-sized spirit who lives and meditates in stone caves.
He loves silence and can be quiet and motionless.
For days and in the end,
He disappears into his surroundings.
He remains in the darkest part of the stone cave.
To get rid of unwanted strangers,
Kivi Alune sends a large stone roll down from his location.
He does not wish to harm the unwanted guests.
He just wants to frighten them.
Saarevat is the keeper of the islands.
He feels connection to the sea and water.
Saarevat locates himself in remote places.
Often he is the keeper spirit of a lighthouse.
He communicates with plants and can transform himself into a fox or an eagle.
He is a kind and peaceful spirit and likes to show people around his home island.
He gets angered by carelessness and rudeness.
Thank you very much for listening.
Bye!
