As ambiguous as she is hideous, Baba Yaga is an anomaly. In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga is both a maternal, mother nature figure and an evil villain who kidnaps and eats children. Numerous renditions of her tale portray her as a harbinger of transformation , possessing the power to either assist or obstruct those who she chances upon, and eating those who fail to satisfy her demands. An alternative wicked witch from Russian and Slavic legends, Baba Yaga is depicted as flying through the forest within a giant mortar and pestle.
Though the origins of her name are as unclear as her purpose tends to be, it is believed that baba means something akin to “old woman” or “grandmother,” while the meaning yaga is said to mean anything from “snake” to “wicked.” Regardless, even Baba Yaga’s name emphasizes the strangeness of her person, making her an interesting character to decipher.
The story of Baba Yaga was first recorded in writing in 1755, though legends about her appeared far earlier and can be evidenced in artworks from at least the 17th century. Modern day interpretations, such as Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga , have emphasized her role as a possible “proto- feminist icon .”
“The essence of Baba Yaga exists in many cultures and many stories, and symbolizes the unpredictable and untamable nature of the female spirit, of Mother Earth, and the relationship of women to the wild,” explained Ryan, the editor of the collection, in an interview with the BBC. “She’s a…
