Tondi (Jobst Dunte, 1569-1615)

Disappointingly, not from tont, ghost or specter, as local lore would have it, but from the summer estate of Jobst Dunt(e), Tallinn burgermeister (1688-96), landowner and trader, member of the ‘Mustpea’, Brotherhood of St. Maurice, or Blackheads (see Jüriöö), and alderman (raehärra). See Dunteni and Vaimu. Although Estonians tend to translate tont as above, historically, it was more a house fairy, generally evil, often used as bogeyman for children, while its Swedish ancestor, tomte, was more benign. The more usual term for ghost is kummitus as in the following tongue-twister Kummikutes kummitus kummitas kummutis (ask someone to explain). Soviet Era renaming (1950-1990): Matrossovi A..