The article reflects on the historic Battle of Ruunavere that occurred in 1567 as part of the broader Livonian War. This conflict took place in the area around Ruunavere mill in Harjumaa, where Swedish forces faced off against Polish troops. A popular but likely apocryphal tale suggests that the name of the location is derived from the significant bloodshed that occurred during the battle, leading to the belief that the ground was soaked with blood up to a horse's knee. In reality, the name is older and stems from the word 'veere' with a similar etymological root present in various locations in Estonia.