Ghost story · 1911
The little bearded man of the plague bog, Odiste
Katkusoo habemega mehike Odistes
Near the old school at Odiste, in Kolga-Jaani parish, lies a bog called Katku soo, the Plague Bog. A story recorded in 1911 says people were buried there in the old wars, and the dead, unhappy in their waterlogged graves, came home at night to rattle about dark rooms; when someone brought a light, it ran off as a dog. Worse was a small, spiteful man with a big beard, one red and one blue stocking, who walked into farmhouses reciting the Lord's Prayer forwards and backwards, after which someone there died of plague. A Finnish wise man finally read burial rites over the bog, and the visits stopped.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Kolga-Jaani kihelkonnas Odiste vana ministeeriumikooli lähedal on soo nimega Katku soo. 1911. aastal kirja pandud loo järgi maeti sinna vanadel sõjaaegadel inimesi ja märgades haudades rahutud surnud hakkasid öösiti kodus käima ja pimedates tubades kolistama; kui tulega vaatama mindi, jooksis kodukäija minema koera kujul, kaks ratast järel. Hullem oli väike kuri suure habemega mees, üks sukk punane, teine sinine, kes astus taludesse ja luges meieisapalve ette- ja tagurpidi, misjärel keegi seal katku suri. Lõpuks luges kuulus Soome tark soo kohal matusesõnad ja käimised lõppesid.
Source: Estonian Folklore Archives EKS 31, 31 (Kolga-Jaani parish, Odiste, 1911), Rehepapp database ↗