Ghost story
The dead lord of Otepää churchyard
A cruel lord of Pühajärve manor was buried at Otepää church, but death did not end his habits. Night after night he rose from the grave and summoned his old coachman, Jüri, ordering him to harness the horses and drive him out as he had in life. Worn out and terrified, Jüri went to a wise man for advice. He was told to go to the grave and strike it three times with his heel. Jüri did so, and from that night on the lord stayed where he had been laid and the coachman slept in peace. Otepää church, from 1671, stands beside the castle hill and is known as the place where the Estonian blue-black-white flag was consecrated.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Pühajärve mõisa julm härra maeti Otepää kiriku juurde, kuid surm ei lõpetanud tema kombeid. Öö öö järel tõusis ta hauast ja kutsus oma vana kutsari Jüri, käskides tal hobused ette panna ja teda sõidutada nagu elus. Kurnatud ja hirmunud Jüri läks targa mehe juurde nõu küsima. Talle öeldi, et ta mingu haua juurde ja lööks seda kolm korda kannaga. Jüri tegi nii ning sellest ööst peale püsis härra seal, kuhu ta oli pandud, ja kutsar magas rahus. 1671. aastast pärinev Otepää kirik seisab linnamäe kõrval ja on tuntud kui paik, kus pühitseti Eesti sinimustvalge lipp.
Source: Otepää-area folk legend in the Valga County place-legends compilation. ↗