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Mustjärv, the lake that came with three black oxen

Kantküla Mustjärv ehk Pühajärv

Mustjärv, the lake that came with three black oxen
Roelakant · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mustjärv, also called Pühajärv, the Holy Lake, is a boggy forest lake near Kantküla in old Viru-Jaagupi parish, with a layer of mud five metres thick. It is one of Virumaa's wandering lakes: the story goes that it once lay at Kehala and moved into the Kantküla forest, drawn by three black oxen, because the formerly clear lake could no longer bear people washing babies' nappies in it. Fairies were seen there milking cows or combing their hair. A tale from 1903 says a man caught a big fish there despite a fairy's warning, ate it, and was ill for seven years.

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

Eesti keeles

Mustjärv ehk Pühajärv on soostunud metsajärv Kantküla lähedal vanas Viru-Jaagupi kihelkonnas ja selle põhjas on viiemeetrine mudakiht. See on üks Virumaa rändavaid järvi: lugu räägib, et järv asus enne Kehalas ja kolis kolme musta härja vedamisel Kantküla metsa, sest kunagi selgeveeline järv ei talunud enam lapsemähkmete pesemist. Järve ääres on nähtud haldjaid lehma lüpsmas või juukseid kammimas. 1903. aasta jutu järgi püüdis üks mees haldja hoiatusest hoolimata järvest suure kala, sõi selle ära ja põdes seitse aastat.

Map of the area around Mustjärv, the lake that came with three black oxen
59.27861° N, 26.52333° E · Map: Maa- ja Ruumiamet

Source: After Mare Kalda, 'Virumaa kohajutud', Mäetagused 66 (2017) ↗

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