Ghost story
The cursed bell of Koeru church
In old times a Koeru girl was seized by the manor bailiff and overseer, accused of witchcraft and tortured to make her confess. She would not. Hearing the bells of Koeru church as she was dying, she cursed them: may the church bell lose its ring, Vesise village its water and Rammu village the strength of its grass, for killing her without guilt. She was buried outside the churchyard wall. Afterwards, the story says, the bell that had sung so beautifully only hummed, Vesise's wells ran dry and the village was renamed Visusi. Koeru's medieval St Mary Magdalene church still stands in the centre of Koeru, Järva County.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Vanasti võtsid mõisa kubjas ja kilter kinni ühe Koeru tüdruku, kaebasid ta nõiana kohtusse ja teda piinati, et ta end nõiaks tunnistaks. Ta ei tunnistanud. Surma eel Koeru kiriku kellade helinat kuuldes needis ta: kadugu Koeru kiriku kella kõla, Vesise küla vesi ja Rammu küla rohu rammu, sest teda tapetakse süüta. Tüdruk maeti surnuaia taha. Pärast seda, räägib lugu, kell, millel oli olnud imeilus hääl, ainult kumises, Vesise kaevud jäid tühjaks ja küla nimeks sai Visusi. Koeru keskaegne Maarja-Magdaleena kirik seisab tänini Koeru aleviku keskel Järvamaal.
Source: M. J. Eisen, 'Kolmandad Eesti kohalikud muistejutud' (no. 102, 'Tüdruku needmine') ↗