A Hole in the Ground Erupts, to Estonia’s Delight

ELLEN BARRY
Published: December 8, 2008 in the New York Times

The Witch’s Well in Tuhala can be explained scientifically, but that is not how Estonians prefer to discuss the phenomenon. Photo: Hannu Oittinen - pics/2008/12/22022_2_t.jpg — The Witch’s Well in Tuhala can be explained scientifically, but that is not how Estonians prefer to discuss the phenomenon. Photo: Hannu Oittinen

TUHALA, Estonia — All day, people crunched through the frost-encrusted woods, in snowsuits, leather jackets and perilous heels, until they came to the spot where the water was churning. According to legend, the witches of Tuhala were taking a sauna underground, beating each other vigorously with birch branches, oblivious to the commotion they were creating on the surface.

Read on at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12...