Ghost story · 1894
'Kai can't get home!': the voice in the Tapa woods
„Kai ei saa koju!“: hääl Tapa metsas
An old woman near Tapa, a tale recorded in 1894 says, always told her household that when she died they must not carry her to the churchyard by the road, or she would come straight back home. She asked to be taken through bogs and swamps, round trees and bushes. When she died they did as she had wished, winding over ditches and round stumps before burying her. That first evening a lament was heard from the forest: 'Kai can't get home! Kai can't get home!' There was rustling and roaring until morning. The same happened on the second and third nights, and then all fell silent for good.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Üks Tapa kandi eideke, räägib 1894. aastal kirja pandud lugu, kinnitas alati oma kodakondsetele, et kui ta sureb, ärgu viidagu teda surnuaiale mööda teed, muidu hakkab ta kohe kodus käima. Ta palus viia end mööda soid ja rabasid, ümber puude ja põõsaste. Kui eit suri, tehti nii, nagu ta oli õpetanud, viidi teda üle kraavide ja ümber kändude ning maeti siis hauda. Juba esimesel õhtul kostis metsast kaebamist: „Kai ei saa koju! Kai ei saa koju!“ Hommikuni oli kuulda kahinat ja mühinat. Nii läks ka teisel ja kolmandal õhtul, siis jäi kõik jäädavalt vaikseks.
Source: Estonian Folklore Archives E 7567 (7) (O. Hintzenberg < V. Kotkas, Tapa, 1894), Rehepapp database ↗