Legend
Two white calves choose the site of Risti church
The builders of Risti church first chose a spot near a tavern. Each night the horned one undid the day's work, and at last he tore out the very foundations. Then a wise man spoke. On that same night a cow had borne two snow-white calves. Raise them, he said, harness them to a cart with a cross on it and let them go where they please. Where they stop, build the church and plant the cross, and nobody will dare spoil it again. The calves stopped at the present site. The devil feared the cross, the church was finished, and it was named Risti, the church of the Cross, in memory of its protector.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Risti kirikut ei tahetud algul ehitada praegusele kohale, vaid ühe kõrtsi juurde. Igal ööl laotas sarviline päevase töö maha ja viimaks kiskus ta isegi aluse maa seest välja. Siis andis üks tark nõu. Samal ööl oli ühel lehmal sündinud kaks lumivalget vasikat. Kasvatage need suureks, ütles ta, rakendage vankri ette, pange vankrile rist ja laske neil minna, kuhu tahavad. Kuhu nad seisma jäävad, sinna ehitage kirik ja lööge rist püsti, siis ei julge keegi enam ehitust rikkuda. Vasikad jäid seisma praegusel kirikukohal. Vanapagan kartis risti, kirik sai valmis ja nimetati kaitsva risti auks Risti kirikuks.
Source: M. J. Eisen, 'Kohalised Eesti muinasjutud' ('Risti kirik') ↗