The Estonian etymological dictionary says kulles comes from the lower German “kule” for tadpole. A kulles is the tailed aquatic vastne (larva, larval stage) of a kahe/paikne (amphibian); frog, toad, newt or salamander – konn, kärn/konn, vesilik või salamander. They breathe through lõpused (gills) and as they grow, develop kopsud (lungs) and jäsemed (limbs) and reabsorb their sabad (tails). Miku and Manni ended up fighting about what these muundused (metamorphoses) signified, but these young ladies enjoyed a konnakulles foot massage, not much unlike the trendy live fish procedures kala/pediküür or kala/teraapia.
Mai on Eestis kesk/konna/kuu. Not middle frog month, but environment month, since the nominative is kesk/kond – the place you are in the middle of (keskel). But who could be a better poster boy for kesk/konna/kuu than the konn?! Aprill is actually the month when konnad are in the spotlight in Eesti, since that is the month of their ränne (migration) to breeding grounds, when thousands of volunteers come out to help them cross roads and highways safely. Visit the Facebook page “Konnad teel” (Frogs on the Road) and www.konnad.elfond.ee.
Estonia has been experiencing an unseasonable heat wave for almost 2 weeks and Tika auk has also welcomed this year's first inim (human) swimmers.
Riina Kindlam, Tallinn
