Tradition / Region: Estonian Mythology
Alternative names: —
Category: Swamp dweller
The Myth
The Paharet is an evil spirit whose children appear in the Estonian national epic Kalevipoeg. The sons of Paharet left their old lake after outgrowing it and searched for a new home, eventually choosing the Great Kikerpära Swamp.
Unable to agree on who should own the swamp, they quarreled among themselves. When Kalevipoeg arrived, they asked him to settle the dispute. Instead of siding with any of them, Kalevipoeg scolded the quarrelsome spirits and ordered Alevipoeg to divide the swamp equally among the sons of Paharet by measuring it with a rope.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Paharet. In Vikipeedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paharet