Baba Yaga: Difference between revisions

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''Baba-Yaga'' (''Баба Яга'' in Russian and also translated Baba Jaga) is a witch-like character in Slavic folklore. She flies around using a giant mortar and pestle, kidnaps (and presumably eats) small children, and lives in a forest hut, which stands on chicken legs. In modern days, she is often depicted not as a villainous, but simply a sociopathic or even gentle and friendly person. And in almost any tale she knows much. The 'Baba' word can be translated as impolite 'old woman' or 'big woman' or simply 'woman' -- usually the first one is correct for this trope; while 'Yaga' is a form of a certain name, it is thought to be a corruption of Slavic root for 'hag', making 'Baba Yaga' mean something like 'old hag', or perhaps '[[Department of Redundancy Department|hag hag]]'. Baba Yaga is depicted as an old, knowledgeable, and geeky character with mystical servants.