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Legend

Juudapalu, the Devil's fallen town

Juudapalu, Vanajuuda varisenud linn

In the pine heath known as Juudapalu, near Kuigatsi in old Sangaste parish, about four versts from Mägiste station, lay a field of mossy boulders a metre or more across, set here and there in rows. By 1922 most had already been carted away for building. Locals said the Devil, Vanajuudas, once built himself a town here, carrying the stones in his mitten. It was almost finished when one stone, a fathom high, slipped out through a hole at the thumb; then the cock crowed, and the whole town collapsed into the heap of stones that gave the heath its name.

Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today

Eesti keeles

Vana Sangaste kihelkonna Kuigatsi lähedal Juudapalu nimelisel männinõmmel, Mägiste jaamast umbes nelja versta kaugusel, lebas sammaldunud, meetri- kuni poolteisemeetriste rahnude väli, kohati kivid reas. 1922. aastaks oli suurem osa neist juba ehitusteks ära veetud. Kohalikud rääkisid, et Vanajuudas ehitanud siia endale linna ja kandnud kive kindas. Linn olnud peaaegu valmis, kui üks sülla kõrgune kivi pudenes pöidla juurest augu kaudu välja; siis laulis kukk ja kogu linn varises kivilademeks, millest nõmm ka nime sai.

Map of the area around Juudapalu, the Devil's fallen town
57.98785° N, 26.17466° E · Map: Maa- ja Ruumiamet

Source: After the Estonian Folklore Archives (E 52898, 1922), via folklore.ee ↗

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