Exploring the Russian Folklore of Baba Yaga

Myths and legends are a part of virtually every culture. One of the most interesting legends of the Russian culture is that of Baba Yaga. She is, however, not unique to Russia. There are similar stories about her, under other names, in Poland as well as in the Czech Republic.

The figure of Baba Yaga is most often pictured as that of an old hag on a broomstick, reminiscent of the kitchen witches we often see today. Some believe that she might have been the precursor for the ugly, old crones that most often represent witches at Halloween.

In truth, however, Baba Yaga is a complicated creature associated as much with fertility and fate as she is with death. Some believed that she also had the gift of prophecy and great wisdom. However, for reasons never understood, she seldom chose to use those skills without exacting a gruesome payment.

Anyone wishing to partake of Baba Yaga's wisdom had to take on a challenge, which began with a trip to her home hidden deep within a treacherous forest. Those arriving there would often decide to turn back without confronting the hag because of the gruesome look of the house itself. As legends have it, Baba Yaga's home sat atop four chicken legs that allowed her to move it from place to place at will. Surrounded by a black picket fence adorned with flaming human skulls, those arriving on her property were no doubt scared about what they were about to encounter.

Inside the house, it was said that the crone sat at a spinning wheel, spinning with thread made from the tendons and muscles of human beings. Not prone to help anyone out of a sense of kindness, Baba Yaga would put those who sought her assistance through a series of tests before agreeing to help them.

Few ever completed them and even some of those who did were never seen again because they dared to anger the old woman in the process. She then turned on them with her sharp teeth. It was said that she could rip apart an animal or a human in less than 30 seconds.

In one tale, Baba Yaga agrees to help a young girl named Vasillisa whose stepmother torments her constantly. By mistake, Vasillisa allows the fire to go out in the fireplace. Without it she cannot prepare meals for her stepmother and stepsiblings. Not knowing what else to do, she sets off in search of Baba Yaga's assistance to gain fire.

After finally making her way to Baba Yaga's house, Vasillisa has no idea how to respond to the hag's question, "why should I give you fire?" She answers simply with the words "because I ask for it."

The crone, stricken by the girl's honest simplicity agrees to grant her fire if she completes all of the tasks set out for her. She warns the girl, however, that if she fails, she will be eaten.

Vasillisa, realizing she has nothing to lose, agrees and remains with the hag for many months, carefully completing task after task. Eventually, the hag runs out of tasks for the girl to perform and hands her one of the pickets off of her fence. Atop it a skull burned brightly through the night air.

Vasillisa eventually made her way home, carrying the torch. Her stepmother, astonished to see her alive much less with the skull torch, knows that her charge has been to the home of Baba Yaga and somehow managed to survive.

That night, as her stepmother and stepsiblings sleep, the skull turned each of them into ash for their unkindness toward Vasillisa. When the morning breeze came through the cottage it took the ashes with it leaving nothing behind for Vasillisa's to find.

Without people around to torment her, Vasillisa lived a happy life without fear of ever losing fire again. The skull torch burned until the day of her death. It went out just as Vasillisa drew her final breath.

Although few stories of Baba Yaga had such a happy ending, perhaps there is point to be made. Selfish people often come to a bad end while those who think only of others eventually do receive their just rewards.