25 Creatures in Estonian Folklore & Mythology 🇪🇪

What creatures and ghouls can be found in Estonia's folklore and mythology? Giants, Nature Spirits, Ghouls and Goblins lurk in the forests, bogs, islands and caves of the most northernly of the Baltic States. This list of 25 creatures will give you a good overview of what the Estonian people believed and in many cases still believe regarding their folklore.

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Footage credit for various sections:
Rehepapp (November), 2017 Estonian film.
Drone footage of Haapsalu by Andres r
Estonia 4K - Stunning Views Around the Globe
Drone clips from Relaxing Nature Music

Sources:
Buss, Reinhard J. (1973). The Klabautermann of the Northern Seas: An Analysis of the Protective Spirit of Ships and Sailors in the Context of Popular Belief, Christian Legend, and Indo-European Mythology. Folklore studies 25. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Harry Jannsen, "Die Irrlichter," Märchen und Sagen des estnischen Volkes, vol. 2 (Riga: A. Kymmel; Leipzig: C. F. Fleischer, 1888), no. 48, p. 145.
Johann Wilhelm Ludwig von Luce “Wahrheit und Muthmassung. Beytrag zur altesten Geschichte der Insel Oesel”
Jean Baptiste Holzmayer “Osiliana”
Niina Pekantytar, Estonian Mythical Creatures, Owlcation.
Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann "Aus dem inneren und äusseren Leben der Ehsten"
Oskar Loorits "Religion of the Livonian People" II
L. Petzholdt, R. Hiiemäe. "A Little Lexicon of Demons and Spirit Beings". Tartu , Department of Folklore Studies of the Estonian Literature Museum, Estonian Folklore Institute 2010. Pages 221-222

Music used:
Road to Hell by Kevin MacLeod
Phantasm by Kevin MacLeod
Relent by Kevin MacLeod
Dark Ambient Horror Background by THRILL
Listening to Fairy Tales by Terra Fantasy Music

The Jolly Reiver is my project aiming to preserve and promote the forgotten folklore and history of rural Britain and Ireland. Now expanding into Estonian folklore. Primarily focusing on folklore and legends, you’ll not find me trying to deconstruct these old stories or trying to rationalise them with science and psychology. Instead I will present them as they were always told by our forebears, and leave the conclusions up to you. Videos are filmed on location to show you exactly where these stories took place.

[ekciukl]

I met half of these on the tram in Tallinn

[uloumera]

As an Estonian i have to say that you did good research on the video and i like the imagery you used. Don't worry do much about the pronunciation. Your trying thats enough for us. Good work.

[GreenuniverseEuro]

I am Estonian and even I didnt know all of them... Thank you so much my friend for making that video.

[KonservativLeben]

It always saddens me to see that your Videos don't get the Views they deserve.
Thank you for keeping European folklore alive!

[freddyXDyeah]

So many scare stories from my childhood were resurfaced by this video. For instance - 5:15 näkid, my grandmother always told me to not go near the wells as the näkk would drag me in and to the bottom. Later in my life i realized it was a smart trick to keep my curious 6 year old self from falling into one of these wells. We had many of such open or closed wells nearby and i avoided them like fire.

[DrArku]

I was really surprised to see an English video about my culture pop up on youtube. But you've done an excellent job and I love the format you're going for. I think my personal favourite is the kratt, imagine all the chores you'd get done with one of those! And don't worry about pronouncing the names right, as my countryman said, you're trying your best and that's all that matters to us.

[kahvipaputyyppi]

These are so interesting! As a finn whose family was christian but mom taught us folklore aswell, I always felt warm and close to european folklores. Nice to see similar beings in Estonian and Finnish folklores. For example every time we went picking berries or mushrooms my mom would leave bits of our picknic lunch and coffee to "metän ämmille" (same as metsaema) so that they would forgive us for taking from the forest.

[knarme]

Watching from Finland, really excited to learn about these.
Estonia has always been such an interesting country to me, since it's the only one where a Finn will hear a related language in such an abundance. One of my favorite authors is the Finnish-Estonian Sofi Oksanen, and her dedication to telling recent Estonian history from the POV of women and girls / civilian life in general. Her stories and public presence in our media have not only educated many but also preserved knowledge about things that should not ever be forgotten. I feel like Estonia has more balls than Finland to not sugarcoat historical events or try to hush about it.

The more I learn about Estonia, the more I see how rich it is in culture. The folk attires are so beautiful too!!
I shed a tear with that 13:41, probably due to the types of times we're living in.

I've only seen Estonia from a bus window, when during high school we took a trip to Poland through the Baltics... And my father has been to wild hog hunting there, bringing some good boar fillets from there. If there's any Estonians seeing my comment, what places especially in nature or other sightings would you recommend for a foreigner to see?

[bricyy]

0:37 Kratt
2:19 Ülemiste vanake
3:25 Libahunt
5:14 Näkk
6:25 Ahjualune
8:01 Kummitus (Valge daam)
9:21 Allikaravitseja
9:55 Metsavana
10:47 Metsaema
11:52 Põja konn
12:47 Suur Töll
13:45 Virvatuli
14:33 Soovana
15:30 Maaalune
16:16 Külmking
17:33 Vanatühi
18:33 Ebajalg
18:59 Murueide tütred
19:46 Kotermann
20:45 Luupainaja
21:14 Pisuhänd
21:52 Härjapõlvlane
22:39 Kivialune
23:10 Saarevaht
23:40 Mereveised

[TheJollyReiver]

Reuploaded due to a copyright strike on one of the ‘copyright-free’ songs -_-

[liisaelts]

15th Külmking - in Estonian Literary Museum, there is an old field notes from early 20th century, where they describe it as a figure in white sheet, who only has one foot. That more than spirit itself, you could see a row of one foot steps going into fields or forest, steps that are iced over inside the steps. Always one must take care to check that there are footprints from both feet, or following such track will lead you so far away from village, you will freeze before you can find your way back. So it was basically treated as spirit, who leads you astray.
It relates to reason that in late fall, when you had black earth with sudden cold, fresh steps would often freeze in the grass, yet if you happened to have sleet, people would look down more and if they happen on footsteps would try to follow them to nearest safe place. So Külmking was a warning to mind your surroundings in such conditions.

18th Murueide tütred were unfortunately most likely invented by Matthias Johann Eisen, who tried to "fill the blanks" in our mythology by injecting things from Germanic and Scandinavian mythology. There seem to be no real evidence outside his and F R Kreutzwald using them in Kalevipoeg. Which is very unfortunate since they would be wonderfully fitting.

[danielmalinen]

It is probably not a surprise that the same or similar creatures can be found in Finnish folklore. The biggest exception is that the Finnish Kratti is not a homonculus but a ghost who sits on the treasure, guards it and scares people away with creepy laughter.

[yukinoved]

As an Estonian I am so happy to see a good representation of my country in format larger than 10 mins!

[beeleav]

This was incredibly informative, even as an Estonian! Folklore is undoubtedly one of the foundational aspects of a culture, yet these stories often go untold in our education system (outside of book reports 'nd such.) It’s such a shame really, because they’re so fascinating and entertaining. Your coverage was greatly appreciated — fantastic video!

[BananaBreadPaws]

I love this. The pronunciation is just as good as it has to be, although a lil off in most cases. It's so great to see my country's culture and folklore get noticed. Even i haven't heard of some of these, or i just have heard of it and didn't know a lot. This is such an enjoyable thing to see on a friday morning :)
Also tere eestlastele 👋

[bigval]

i did a rotation in estonia back in 2018 and i miss it every day this just makes me want to go back even more!

[green_camping]

As a saarlane (person born and raised in Saaremaa) it's awesome to witness so many of my childhood stories made available for the world, especially Suur Töll. Only a few of them must be more prevalent on the mainland than in Saaremaa as I had to stretch my memory further. Most of them, however were regularly included in everyday speech where suitable.

[aonith]

I am Estonian and seeing this wonderful video warms my heart. You did an amazing job!

[Siriel]

Estonian here absolutely wonderful video 💕
Very best wishes

[henrysinivee]

2 things about the KRATT: 1. people who wanted to make a kratt, had to summon the devil (or vanapagan in Estonian) and then meet with him in a night of full moon on a crossing of 3 roads and had to give 3 drops of his blood, then the kratt would have soul; 2. when kratt was broken or given a impossible job, then the devil would come to the owner to receive the promised soul of the owner (meaning killing the owner)