Vanapagan

The Vanapagan (Estonian Age Heide) or Vanatühi ( The old emptiness ) is a character from the Estonian mythology.

Occurrence and interpretation of Vanapagan are very different, but so far a uniform system has been demonstrated. In numerous, recorded from the 19th century folk tales of Vanapagan is occupied as negative figure for the devil of Christian dogmatics, or simply the god of the underworld. In others, he is a giant of a simple peasant mind, that of his subordinates, the roguish Kaval - Ants ( "Cunning Hans " ), is tricked regularly. The Vanapagan is the greatest enemy of the giant Suur Tõll, the hero of the island of Saaremaa. He also stole the thunder god Estonian Pikne a magic pipe with which this brought the rain. Attribute of the Vanapagan is sometimes a "hat made ​​of nails " that makes him invisible.

In other stories Vanapaganad occur ( in the plural), living in bogs, in the forest or in caves and occasionally visit the villages (especially in important festivals such as weddings or baptisms ). Every now and then to have become pregnant by this woman. Furthermore, the Vanapagan occurs as a designer on the earth, the mountains and lakes has created or large stones shifts. He often tried to build cities or bridges; However, his work always remain unfinished. He is afraid of wolves and thunderstorms.

The text output of the folklorist Matthias Johann iron (1857-1934) have popularized the Vanapagan in Estonia again. About the vorschriftliche importance and its position in the original Estonian mythology there is only speculation. Probably seems that in recent times under the name Vanapagan different, very different characters and ideas have been personalized.