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In Estonia — about the country
Europe-made.com. Published by Perun-Sprint Ltd. Accessed 2008-01-09. Among these folktales is the tale of Vanapagan stealing the musical instrument belonging to the god of lightning
In Estonian mythology
Estonian mythology is a complex of myths belonging to the Estonian folk heritage and literary mythology. Information about the pre-Christian and medieval Estonian mythology is scattered in historical chronicles, travellers' accounts and in eccle ...
, Vanatühi ("Old empty one", or alternatively, Vanapagan, "Old devil") is a/the devil or god of the underworld, a giant farmer who is more stupid than malevolent.
Vanapagan is the ogre character in Estonian versions of the series of internationally known folktale
Oral literature, orature, or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung in contrast to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed. There is no standard definition, as anthropologists have used va ...
s of the stupid ogre, tale types 1000–1199 in the Aarne–Thompson classification system. In these stories, he is outwitted by his servant Kaval Ants (Crafty Hans).Europe-made.com. Published by Perun-Sprint Ltd. Accessed 2008-01-09. Among these folktales is the tale of Vanapagan stealing the musical instrument belonging to the god of lightning
Pikne
Pikne (also ''Piken'' or ''Pikker'': the long one) is the god of lightning in Estonian mythology. In Finnish, lightning is sometimes called ''Pitkäinen'', which is similar in meaning. It is likely that both are taboo euphemisms.
There was an ...
, representing the international tale type "The Ogre Steals the Thunder's Instruments (Pipe, Sack, etc.)" (No. 1148B in the Aarne–Thompson classification system).
He is also the worst enemy of Suur Tõll
Suur Tõll, (), is a mythological giant hero who lived on the Estonian island of Saaremaa.
Legend
Suur Tõll lived with his wife Piret in the coastal village of Tõlluste (Tölluste) by the Baltic Sea. He tossed huge rocks everywhere, most ...
, a giant known in the folklore of the island Saaremaa
Saaremaa (; ) is the largest and most populous island in Estonia. Measuring , its population is 31,435 (as of January 2020). The main island of the West Estonian archipelago (Moonsund archipelago), it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hi ...
. Tõll is decapitated during a battle with Vanatühi's forces.
Vanatühi sometimes wears a hat of fingernails () that makes him invisible.
References
Estonian gods Underworld gods Ogres {{deity-stub