Ghost story
The bathing maiden of Lake Parika
Long ago an old man walked through the forest beyond Lake Parika. At the shore he saw, quite close, a beautiful young woman washing herself. Wondering who she could be, he hid and watched. She washed, dried herself with a snow-white linen sheet, dressed, combed her hair smooth and adorned herself. Then she took her sheet and soap, stretched out her arms and dived head first from the bank like a seabird. The water closed over her with a gurgle and she never came up. Only then did the old man understand that she was the lake's water maiden. Lake Parika lies in a nature reserve near Kolga-Jaani in Viljandi County.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Ennemuiste läks üks vanamees Parika järve taha metsa jalutama. Kaldale jõudes nägi ta päris enda lähedal noort ilusat naist end pesemas. Imestades, kes see võiks olla, jäi ta salaja vaatama. Naine pesi end puhtaks, kuivatas lumivalge linaga, pani riided selga, kammis pea siledaks ja ehtis end igati. Siis võttis ta lina ja seebi, sirutas käed ette ja hüppas nagu merelind pea ees kaldalt vette. Vesi lõi vulisedes kokku ja rohkem teda ei nähtud. Alles siis sai vanamees aru, et see oli järve näkk. Parika järv asub Viljandimaal Kolga-Jaani lähedal looduskaitsealal.
Source: M. J. Eisen, 'Näki raamat' (no. 30, recorded by J. A. Veltmann, Kõo) ↗