The silver bell in the Vigala river

Vigala church once had no bell. Girls gave their silver brooches, young men their rings, old folk their breast pins, and a master cast a bell of almost pure silver. Whoever heard its gentle voice walked to church as if against their will. When war came, the parish sank it in the river beside the church to hide it. Afterwards a wise man said it could only be raised on a Sunday during the sermon. Six pairs of black oxen dragged a rope through the water and the bell rose into sight. At that moment the pastor said amen. It splashed back and never rose again. On Midsummer night, people said, it rang softly from the riverbed.