Legend
The heads walled into Saha chapel
A rich prince was caught in a storm in the Gulf of Finland and vowed to build a church if he lived. The wind turned and drove his ship to a great rowan on the Maardu shore, a sacred tree where the pagan villagers left offerings. To destroy their worship, the prince built his church right beside it. Every night the walls came down. Guards caught three Saha men in the act. "You took our holy place," they said. The builders walled the three men's heads into the wall and left their legs dangling outside. After that the work went on, though it became only a chapel. Eisen's storytellers said the marks of the heads could still be seen.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Rikas vürst sattus Soome lahes tormi kätte ja tõotas ehitada kiriku, kui ta ellu jääb. Tuul pööras ja ajas laeva Maardu rannas suure pihlaka juurde. See oli püha hiiepihlakas, kuhu paganad iga päev ohvreid viisid. Et nende jumalateenistust hävitada, lasi vürst kiriku ehitada otse pihlaka kõrvale. Igal ööl lagunesid müürid. Valvurid tabasid kolm Saha meest. "Te võtsite meie püha paiga," ütlesid nad. Ehitajad müürisid kolme mehe pead müüri sisse ja jätsid jalad välja tolgendama. Sestpeale edenes töö, kuigi kirikust sai ainult kabel. Eiseni jutustajate sõnul olid sissemüüritud peade asemed veel näha.
Source: M. J. Eisen, 'Teised Eesti kohalikud muistejutud' (no. 76) ↗