Legend
How Koeru got its name: the dogs' church
Long ago, people said, some churches sank into the ground and others rose out of it. Koeru church rose by itself. A herdsman deep in a great forest heard a dog barking far off, though his own dog lay beside him. He went to look and found a fine church standing open, with dogs inside and one barking at the door. The villagers cut a road through the forest, a pastor was appointed and services began. Fields and houses replaced the trees. Because dogs had led them there, they called it the dogs' church. Later folk speech softened the unflattering name into Koeru.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Vanasti vajunud mõned kirikud maa alla, teised aga kerkinud maa seest üles. Nii tõusis ka Koeru kirik, ilma et keegi oleks seda ehitanud. Karjane kuulis sügavas metsas kauget koerahaukumist, kuigi tema oma koer oli kõrval. Ta läks vaatama ja leidis kauni kiriku, uksed lahti, koerad sees ja üks koer ukse ees haukumas. Külarahvas raius metsa tee, ametisse pandi õpetaja ja hakati jumalateenistust pidama. Metsa asemele tulid põllud ja majad. Et koerad olid kiriku kätte juhatanud, hakati seda koerte kirikuks kutsuma. Halva kõla pärast muutis rahvasuu nime hiljem Koeruks.
Source: M. J. Eisen, 'Teised Eesti kohalikud muistejutud' (no. 82) ↗