t Eusekuell, for it was carried there
from the district of Oiso in Esthonia. One day a great black cloud like
a sack rolled up from the north, and drew up all the water from the lake
of Oiso. Before the cloud ran a black bull bellowing angrily, and above
in the cloud flew an old man crying incessantly, "Lake, go to Eusekuell!"
When the bull came to Eusekuell, where the tavern now stands, he dug his
horns into the ground, and formed two deep trenches, which any one may
still see to the right of the path which leads to the tavern at Kersel.

Then the cloud rolled on farther, till it reached the district of
Eusekuell. All the people were making hay in the meadow, and when they
saw the black cloud, they hastened with their work, to bring the hay
under cover. Presently the cloud stood above them. First a great knife
with a wooden handle fell down, and next all kinds of fish, and then it
began to rain heavily.

The people hurried from the field to take shelter. But one girl who had
left her string of beads on a haycock, and wanted to save it, neglected
to escape. Suddenly the waves of the lake fell from above, and buried
her beneath them. Since that time the lake at Eusekuell has been
inhabited by a water-nymph, who requires the offering of a human life
every year.

* * * * *

There are several other Esthonian tales of lakes moving from one spot to
another.

EMMU LAKE AND VIRTS LAKE.

(KREUTZWALD.)

Soon after the Creation, Vanaisa[48] formed a beautiful lake, called the
Emmu Lake, which was intended to furnish men with refreshing water at
all times, but owing to the wickedness of men, he caused all the water
to be absorbed by a waterspout. Now men had nothing but rain-water, and
although rain-water and melted snow sometimes filled the old Emmu Lake,
it was dirty and unrefreshing, and people called it the Virts Lake. But
at length Vanaisa, took pity on the people, who had somewhat improved,
and formed narrow channels in the earth, through which the waters of the
old Emmu lake flow as springs. But to prevent their being too warm in
summer and too cold in winter, a cold stone is put into the springs in
spring, and replaced by a warm one in autumn.

[Footnote 48: God is frequently called Vanaisa, the Old Father, just as
the Devil is frequently called Vanapois, the Old Boy.]

THE BLUE SPRING.

(JANNSEN.)

At the foot of the Villina hill, near the church of Lais,[49] is