The Old Barnkeeper Returns
Review of the Kirjastus Krattwerk graphic novel adaptation (2022) of the second half (November 17 to 30) of the original Estonian language novel "Rehepapp ehk november" (The Old Barnkeeper or November) (2000)

See image at https://www.hooandja.ee/sites/default/files/uploads/59.jpg
A sample panel from "Rehepapp: novembri teine pool." The old barnkeeper sets his hat against the wind and snow. Image sourced from the crowdfunding campaign at Hooandja.

Andrus Kivirähk's Rehepapp ehk November (The Old Barnkeeper or November) (2000) was a breakthrough hit for the Estonian writer and was the basis for an audiobook edition (a relative rarity for a present day novel in Estonia), a board game, a play, an opera, a film adaptation and now a graphic novel in 2 parts. The original parody novel portrays various supernatural events in a 19th century Estonian manor and community where the village elder, the Rehepapp (Estonian: Old Barnkeeper) of the title, is often called upon to solve the problems of the other inhabitants.

This is horror comedy mashup where the Estonian villagers are out-scamming the local Germanic manor baron, the Devil and each other. This is usually in an effort to gather increased wealth and goods. Each villager signs their soul over to the Devil at a crossroads, in order to gain the aid of a treasure seeking Kratt (Estonian: Goblin), usually assembled out of barnyard trash. In order to outwit the Devil, the signatures are made with red berry juice instead of blood, so that the contracts are non-binding.

The story in the first half culminated in a battle between the Rehepapp and the Plague (which was able to shapeshift into various animal and human forms). This second half of the novel concentrates on various thwarted love stories. The bailiff Hans is enraptured by the Baron's daughter, who doesn't even know that he exists. He obtains a snowman Kratt to help him win her love, but discovers that the goblin is unable to carry off human beings. Instead the snowman winds up him up with all sorts of romance legends which it first heard when it existed in the shape of water throughout the world.

See image at https://www.hooandja.ee/sites/default/files/uploads/26_2.jpg
A sample page-size panel from "Rehepapp: novembri teine pool." The Rehepapp tries to talk sense into the bailiff Hans who instead only wants to listen to romance stories from his snowman goblin. Image sourced from the crowdfunding campaign at Hooandja.

Meanwhile Räägu Rein's daughter Liina (who is also a werewolf at night) is pining for Hans while her father is trying to marry her off to the despised Õuna Endel. She asks the local nõid (Estonian: witch) for assistance in winning Hans over and the witch in turn comes to the Rehepapp to join in the plot. It turns out that the witch and Rehepapp were once a couple back in the day.

In the most absurd situation, the hapless Sulane Jaan is advised by the witch to bake a pirukas (Estonian: a savoury pastry pie) out of his sweat, body hair and shit and if he can convince the Baron's housemaid Luise to eat it, she will fall in love with him. No prizes for guessing how that turns out.

The story builds to two climactic events: the Rehepapp confronts the Devil in order to pay him back for the souls that he has managed to take & Sulane Jaan commits a final blasphemy in order to obtain the supernatural powers to take everything that he ever wished for.

Illustrator Veiko Tammjärv has created a masterwork in this now combined 304 page graphic novel adaptation of the original novel. The stark limited colour palette of black, white, grey, light blue with the occasional splash of red perfectly captures the atmosphere of the novel and its horror fantasy world setting. Of all the adaptations of the novel to date, there is nothing to top this one.

Trivia and Links
An Estonian language interview and several further pages from the book can be seen at this video and article at the Arts and Culture news webpage of Estonian Public Broadcasting, Veiko Tammjarv: In Estonia you don't earn money from comics, instead you are doing it out of enthusiasm. by Kaspar Viilup, November 14, 2022. The article is a full transcript of the video interview.

A translation by Eric Dickens (1953-2017) of Chapter 1 from the original novel is available at the Estonian Literary Magazine No. 14 (2002). The full book has not yet been published in English, although several other language translations (eg. Finnish, French, Hungarian, Latvian, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, etc.) exist. ( )