Baba Yaga is a fairy-tale character from the mythology of the ancient Slavs. Mentioned in many Slavic tales, in most cases it is a negative character. She is usually known as the witch, the ugly old woman. But, despite his witchcraft nature, he often helps the hero.
Typical Baba Yaga
Baba Yaga is always hunchbacked, a little old woman in a long skirt, with hair sticking out in all directions from under a scarf. In most cases, she has a long, ugly nose and an unpleasant raspy voice. This is how it can be seen in all paintings and photos.
All fairy tales and myths have a typical Baba Yaga appearance and a set of attributes.
The immutable home of Baba Yaga has always been a hut on chicken legs. Also, the image of Yaga cannot be imagined without a stupa used as a means of transportation and a broom in his hands. By the way, the broom was sometimes used by her as an independent form of transport, because Baba Yaga is, first of all, a witch, and in fairy tales all witches flew on brooms.
Negative image of Baba Yaga
Most likely, Baba Yaga was originally the personification of the world of the dead. She is often called "Baba Yaga - Bone Leg". This symbolizes that she stands with one foot in the other world. A hut without windows, without doors - means a coffin.
The ancient Slavs did not bury the dead, but put the coffins on special pillars, which were fumigated with smoke - this is one of the versions of the origin of the hut foundation. According to another version, the coffins were placed not on pillars, but on stumps with large roots resembling chicken legs. Also, the Slavs called a chicken leg a crossroads, such a place was considered disastrous, dangerous, evil spirits accumulated there. The fence around Baba Yaga's house is usually built of human bones.
This appearance and way of life of Baba Yaga is frightening in itself. In addition, the myth of Yaga is overgrown with various beliefs that she lures good fellows to her to eat them, kidnaps small children and roasts them on a shovel.
Positive image of Baba Yaga
In another interpretation, despite the fact that Baba Yaga is a witch, a witch, an evil creature, she is presented in the form of the mistress of the forest. If this mistress is appeased, then she can help a lot, since she lives for a long time and knows a lot.
In fairy tales and films, a good fellow usually turns to Baba Yaga, whom no one can help. And she seems to be an evil old woman, but she knows a way out of any situation. If a good fellow turns out to be worthy, charming and purposeful, he can like Yaga, then she can give him some magical object.
When Baba Yaga helps someone, her image seems to be such that all her atrocities are a distant past or baseless rumors, but in fact she is a kind, wise old woman, just very lonely.
There is almost always a stove in Baba Yaga's hut. The stove for the Slavs is a symbol of the hearth, warmth, protection from the cold. That is, she is a hospitable hostess.
In fact, in all fairy tales there is no evidence of Baba Yaga's wickedness. There are only tales of her. But in fact, as such, she does not commit atrocities.
