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Ussilaka (Ussilakk)
Paris, truelove, true-lover’s knot, or herb paris, Paris quadrifolia, from the Latin par:paris, ‘equal’, due to its regular leaves, not the city. Also poisonous, perhaps suggesting its Estonian name: snake’s mane. But uss also means worm; see Ussimäe. One of the Mähe flower-name group, see Aianduse.
Ussimäe (Ussimägi)
Snake Hill, name of an ancient stronghold on the northern coast of Estonia, close to Kunda (site of hunting and fishing settlements dating back to 6500 BCE, and cement works to 1870). Snakes – Estonians are a little hazy here: if it’s long and wiggly (pulease...) it’s an uss, so that includes snakes and worms. If they want to be really nice, they specify the soggier version by calling it vihmauss or rain worm. See Mäe for discussion, where the sense of secure location seems to be most apposite.
Uus-Kalamaja (Uus-Kalamaja)
New Fisherman’s hut. At the end of this road was once a cemetery for Non-Germans’ (Undeutsch [Ger.] or mittesaksa [Est.]: a contemporary term of contempt for Estonians). In the late 18th C, to maintain the road, Tallinn council put a tax on corpses using it: 10 kopeks an adult and 5 per child. Group rates may have been available. See Kalamaja.
