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Baba Yaga: 5 Strange Facts About Her From Russian Folklore
A Weird Witch with a Chicken House.
If you haven’t heard of Baba Yaga, then you’re in for some weird facts. While generally she’s seen as an evil witch who lives in the woods, she has also been a neutral or good character depending on the fairy tale. Baba Yaga’s origins are somewhat unclear, but her name was first documented in 1755.
Here are just a few of the weird tidbits we know about Baba Yaga.
Her House Stands on Chicken Legs
This seems to be standard across the different fairy tales. In fact, I’d argue it’s Baba Yaga’s most iconic trait. Her hut is described as being a house on chicken legs with a rooster head coming out of the top. It’s hilariously cartoonish even though she’s often an evil character (or at least ambiguous in her morals). Talk about a strange foundation for your home.
She’s involved in Political Satire
In an old image, we see Baba Yaga riding a pig and charging towards a crocodile. Some believe this was a political cartoon because Peter the Great was referred to as “the Crocodile” at the time. Since Baba Yaga was a ubiquitous character at the time, it’s not surprising she was used as a way…
