Baba Yaga: Witch of the North

She is Witch. She is Protector. She is Destroyer. She is Goddess. Her tales, legends, myths, and lore are as timeless as she. And as we travel further into the dark half of the year, we begin to honor the darker deities of our world--most especially, Baba Yaga. 

WE ARE GOING TO SALEM!
Instagram: @beyondtheseaspodcast
EMAIL ME: beyondtheseaspodcast@gmail.com
Tarot Collaboration: @thefeatherwitchnyc
Weekly Book: Wicked
Podcast website: https://beyondtheseas.buzzsprout.com/
More info: https://www.kierandanaan.com/beyond-the-seas

WINE COLLAB!!!  🍷
Make sure to follow Iruai Winery on Insta, and order your wine from their website:
@iruaiwine
iruaiwine.com

Join us on Patreon! 🎬
Patreon.com/BeyondtheSeas

Author Interview Collaboration 📚
Crossed Crow Books (@crossedcrowbooks)

Sources 🌎
-Winters, Riley. "Baba Yaga: The Wicked Witch of Slavic Folklore." Ancient Origins, 20 February 2023. www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/baba-yaga-confounding-crone-slavic-folklore.

Music 🎵
"Intimacy" by Ben Winwood
"Ember" by Michael FK
"Irish Mountains" by Ben Winwood

Cheers Magick Makers,
Kieran

Chapters

• 0:00 Grand Tidings!
• 6:46 Folklore of Baba Yaga
• 12:20 The Tale of Vasilisa the Beautiful
• 27:48 Outro

Transcript

Grand tidings and welcome to you on this, the forty-ninth episode, of Beyond the Seas. My name is Kieran and here we are again, back at it for another week. Oh man, I gotta tell ya, my father was in New York for the past four or five days and we were quite literally everywhere in the city. On top of teaching, acting, JURY DUTY, and so many other things—it was quite the workout. But, it’s always good to see family, amiright? Now, the plugs time: @beyondtheseaspodcast over on Insta, and Claudia’s account, @thefeatherwitchnyc, to follow along with our weekly tarot collaboration—wherein Claudia teaches the tarot one card at a time, one week at a time. Also, our collaboration with Crossed Crow Books, @crossedcrowbooks. Finally, consider signing up for one of the tiers over on our Patreon, patreon.com/BeyondtheSeas. We are dropping our interview episode with GennaRose Nethercott there TODAY! Make sure to sign up so you may listen to the amazing fun Claudia and I had with her last week. Finally, please leave a five-star rating and review, on your platform of choice, so the show may course its way through the interwebs and find new Magick Makers the world over. I am so, so, so happy you are all here, sharing some time with me on the show, today.  

            And now, artistic and literary updates! So, artistically, auditions, yes, y’all know. But what I am so, so, so excited for is the upcoming premiere of Wicked. In honor of traveling over the rainbow, into the land of Oz, I picked up a copy of Wicked by Gregory Maguire to dive into. The last time I read it was decades ago, I mean I was like a kid. I was wayyyyy too young to read that book. However, I remember how dark it is and revisiting that, as an adult, is a completely different experience. And having seen the show and been around it for so long, and then going back to the book, it is veryyyyyy different. But still magickal—and a great witchy read for the hauntingly wonderful month of October. So go ahead, pick yourself up a copy and join on in with the fun. 

            And now, the Card of the Week! So Claudia pulled the Three of Swords…Reversed. Which means we are in for a treat, Magick Makers! Normally, when this card is upright, it does not entail good things: heartbreak, jealousy, the mind destroying emotions, and so on and so forth. Now, however, we are free from just traps and have ample opportunity to avail ourselves to newfound love, wisdom, knowledge, and life experiences. Free your mind of the cloudy, misty qualities that arise from bad situations—and open the way towards change, growth, and freedom. Look forward to the rising of the sun as the morning mist disappears…and your heart is made free. What a wonderful week we have ahead, folks!

            And now, the Wine of the Week! So back to Iruai Winery on the West Coast of the United States we go, with this week’s bottle being a 2023 Gamay. It is SUPER light bodied, which I loved. It is not too thick at all, and makes for an incredible pairing with lighter dinners and snacks. I immediately tasted smoky oak and cherries on the first sip, then strawberry and chocolate as it settled in. It hit the front of my tongue and washed over the rest of my mouth with ease and enjoyment. Also, there were elements of orange, allspice, plum, and a slew of other wonderful things that you will discover when you pick up a bottle for yourself. Pair it with light lemon chicken, vodka sauce pastas, and pumpkin spice cupcakes. 

            And, finally, this week’s topic. Given our discussion with GennaRose and her novel, Thistlefoot, I am craving more lore and legend surrounding Baba Yaga: Witch of the North. She is a figure surrounded with popularity, cultural references and phenomena, and so much more. Who is this enigmatic figure? Is she simply a witch—or a Goddess? What stories surround her? And how might we work with her today?

            Ergo, grab your favorite bottle of red, find a comfy chair, and close your eyes as I tell you the tale of Baba Yaga: Witch of the North—and take you…

            Beyond the Seas.

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            Close your eyes and see the dark forest. The silence. The void. The creaking and moaning of the trees in the wind. The distant howl and screech. And underneath it all, a slow, bubbling, scratching cackle. A dragging of wood over leaves. A tension. A pull. A rapid heartbeat. Closer and closer it comes. Until suddenly, it’s behind you. Breathing on you. Bony, spindly fingers crawl up your shoulder, and then…

            Alright enough of that. Happy spoopy season kiddos hahahaha. But seriously, Baba Yaga. She’s a hell of a figure, one that is ever present and still with us in our psyches and spirits. What information may we glean about her personhood, though?

            From our dear and trusted source-friend, Ancient Origins, “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 most common portrayal of Baba Yaga is as either one old woman or a trio of old sisters, all of whom are depicted as skinny, with iron teeth and noses so long that they touch the ceiling when they sleep. Baba Yaga is commonly illustrated as riding around on a mortar rather than a broom, wielding a pestle as both a flying aid and a wand.

            “Stories about the Baba Yaga abound, with most of them taking place within her hut located deep in the woods. To make the story even more eerie, legend has it that her hut was surrounded by a fence made of human bones and stood on magical chicken legs, with a rooster's head on top.

            “Tales about Baba Yaga usually recount that heroes daring to enter her humble abode would find her draped across her cooking stove. The enormous stove is described as reaching from one side of the hut to the other, subtly emphasizing her size and magical powers.

            “The stove is another common detail included in tales of the Baba Yaga, as the location where her victims are cooked and eaten. Despite an ambitious appetite, however, Baba Yaga is always portrayed as skinny and bony, with her own epithet of ‘the bony one.’

            “The majority of well-known narratives featuring Baba Yaga revolve around the heroes who cross her path, rather than her own personal exploits. It is the characterization of Baba Yaga that contributes to much of the ambiguity surrounding her, as she oscillates between assuming the role of a benefactor and a villain, either aiding or obstructing the heroes of Slavic folklore.

            “While it seems that Baba Yaga never initiates any confrontations, as she only reacts when someone ventures to her hut, her moral compass appears to be all but absent. Yet, regardless of her questionable ethics, she remains true to her word and keeps whatever promise she makes to the hero who triumphantly completes her assigned tasks.”

            There is a wonderful tale that arises from Eastern Europe, detailing how Baba Yaga serves as both Earth Mother, Stepmother, Guide, Protector, and Destroyer. Quite the number of hats to wear, right? So settle in more comfortably with your wine as I tell you The Tale of Vasilisa the Beautiful. 

            “A long time ago there lived a merchant and his wife. They had one child, a girl called Vasilisa. One day the mother placed a little doll in the child's hands and said, "My child, I am dying. Take this doll as my blessing. Always keep it with you and never show it to anybody. If anything bad happens to you, give the doll food and ask her for guidance." Shortly afterwards the mother died. The Merchant soon became lonely and decided to marry again. He married a widow he thought would be a good mother but both she and her two daughters were envious of Vasilisa's beauty. They gave her heavy outdoor work to do, so she would grow thin and her face would turn ugly in the wind and the sun. Despite this, Vasilisa became more beautiful every day. For each day she gave her doll food and asked for advice. Having finished eating, the doll would help with the tasks and even bring Vasilisa herbs to prevent sunburn. As the years passed, Vasilisa grew ever more beautiful as her stepmother's hatred of her intensified. Then, whilst Vasilisa's father was away on business, the stepmother moved the family to the edge of a dense birch forest. This was not just any birch forest, for in this forest lived the terrifying witch, Baba-Yaga. A witch who ate people like others ate chicken. Every day, the stepmother sent Vasilisa into the forest, but the girl always returned safe and sound with the guidance of her magic doll. Then one night, the stepmother crept around the house and extinguished all the candles. As the last candle failed, she said in a loud voice, "It's impossible to finish our work in the darkness. Somebody must go to Baba-Yaga and ask for a light." "I'm not going," said the first stepdaughter, who was stitching lace. "I can see my needle." "And I'm not going," said the second stepdaughter, who was knitting stockings, "I can see my needle." So Vasilisa was thrown out into the dark forbidding forest. Despite her fear, she fed her magic doll and asked for its advice. "Don't be afraid, Vasilisa," said the doll. "Go to Baba-Yaga and ask her to give you a light." All that night, Vasilisa walked nervously through the forest holding the doll who guided her path. Then suddenly, she saw a horseman rushing by. His face and clothes were white and he was riding a white horse. As he passed the first light of dawn appeared across the sky. Then, another horseman came by. His face and clothes were red and he was riding a red horse. As he passed the sun began to rise. Vasilisa had never seen such strange men and she was very surprised. She walked all day, until at last she came to Baba-Yaga's hut, which stood forbidding on its large chicken legs. A fence made of human bones surrounded the hut. It was crowned with human skulls. The gate had a sharp set of teeth that served as a lock. Vasilisa was terribly afraid. Suddenly, another horseman galloped by. His face and clothes were black and he was riding a black horse. He rode through the gates and disappeared. As he passed, night descended. As the sky darkened the eyes of the skulls began to glow. Their light illuminated the forest. Vasilisa trembled, she wanted to run but her legs would not move. Almost immediately she heard a hideous noise. The earth shook, the trees groaned and there was Baba-Yaga, riding in her mortar. She stopped and sniffed the air. "I smell a human!" she cried. "Who is here?" Vasilisa stepped forward, trembling with fear. She said, "I am, Vasilisa. My stepmother sent me to you to ask for a light." "I know of her." Baba-Yaga replied. "Stay with me for a while. If you work well, I will give you light. If you do not, I will cook you and eat you." Baba-Yaga commanded the gates to open and rode in. Vasilisa followed and the gates closed fast behind her. As they entered the hut, Baba-Yaga ordered Vasilisa to bring her what was on the stove. There was enough food to feed ten men; then from the cupboard she collected kvas (a drink made from fermented rye flour), mead (a drink made from fermented honey), beer, and wine. Baba-Yaga ate and drank everything. She left Vasilisa nothing but a crust of bread. "I'm tired," Baba-Yaga said. "Tomorrow, Vasilisa, you must clean the yard, sweep the hut, cook the supper and wash the linen. Then you must go to the corn bin and separate seed by seed the mildewed corn from the good corn. And mind that you remove all the black bits. If you don't complete these tasks I will eat you." Soon Baba-Yaga started snoring, her long nose rattled against the roof of the hut. Vasilisa took her doll out of her pocket, gave it a crust of bread and said, "Please help me. Baba-Yaga has given me an impossible task to do and if I fail she will eat me." The doll replied, "Don't be afraid, Vasilisa, eat your supper and go to bed. Mornings are wiser than evenings." Although Vasilisa woke early the next morning, Baba-Yaga was already up. Vasilisa went to the corn bin and found the doll picking out the last black bits. The other tasks were also fulfilled. The doll said, "All you have to do now is prepare the supper and after that you can rest." Vasilisa thanked the doll and went to prepare supper. She cooked the food, laid the table and waited. As the skulls' eyes began to shine, the trees groaned, the earth trembled, and there was Baba-Yaga. "Have you done what I told you?" she asked Vasilisa. "Yes," replied the girl. Baba-Yaga was very upset, for she wanted to eat the girl but the tasks were all completed. Hiding her anger, she said, "Very good," and then cried loudly, "My faithful servants grind the wheat!" From nowhere three pairs of hands appeared. They took the wheat and vanished. Baba-Yaga ate the supper and said to Vasilisa, "Tomorrow you must do the same tasks and then you must go to the store room and sort out the dirt from the poppy seeds." The next morning Baba-Yaga again rode off in her mortar. Vasilisa, with the help of her doll, finished the tasks. In the evening the old woman came back and checked everything over. Three pairs of hands appeared. They took the bin of poppy seeds and vanished. Baba-Yaga sat down to eat. "Why do you sit there so quiet and still?," she asked Vasalisa. "I'm afraid to speak," said Vasilisa. "Would you mind if I asked you some questions?" "Ask if you want," said Baba-Yaga, "but remember that not every question has a good answer." Vasilisa hesitated, and then spoke, "On my way here I saw a white horseman. Who was he?" "That was my Bright Day," answered Baba-Yaga. Vasilisa continued, "Then I saw a red horseman. Who was he?" "That was my Red Sun," answered Baba-Yaga. "And then a black horseman overtook me whilst I was standing outside your gate. Who was he?" "That was my Black Midnight," answered Baba-Yaga. "These horsemen are my faithful servants. Have you any further questions?" Vasilisa remembered the three pairs of hands but remained quiet. "Now I have a question for you. How have you managed to carry out all the work so quickly?" Vasilisa replied, "My mother's blessing helped me." "I knew it," said Baba-Yaga. "You'd better be gone. I will not have people with blessings in my home." With that, the old woman pushed Vasilisa out of the hut and through the gate. Then she took one of the skulls, stuck it on the end of a stick and gave it to the girl, saying, "Here's a light for your stepmother and her daughters. That's what you came here for, isn't it?" She walked all day and by the evening she reached her home. As she approached the gates she was about to throw away the skull, but suddenly she heard a muffled voice say, "You must keep me, your stepmother and her daughters have need of me." The girl carried the skull into the house. As she entered, the skull fixed its eyes on the stepmother and her two daughters. Its eyes burnt them like fire. They tried to hide, but the piercing eyes followed them and never let them out of their sight. By morning nothing was left of the three women except three heaps of ash on the floor. Vasilisa was unharmed. She buried the skull in the garden and went to find shelter in the nearest town. Here she lodged with an old woman. One day the old woman gave Vasilisa some flax. With it Vasilisa spun the most beautiful thread, so fine it was like hair. Then she weaved the thread into the most exquisite cloth. It was brilliant white, soft and so beautiful. Vasilisa gave it to the old woman and said, "Grandmother, you have been so kind to me, sell this cloth and keep the money." The old woman looked at it and said, "My child, this is too fine to sell. I am going to take it to the Tsar." So she brought it to the Tsar as a gift. The Tsar thanked the old woman and gave her many presents before sending her home. Impressed with the beautiful cloth, the Tsar tried to find someone who could make shirts from it. However all the tailors declined the work, as the cloth was too fine for them to handle. In the end the Tsar called the old woman and said, "You must also know how to sew the cloth as you made it." The old woman replied, "No your Majesty. It was not my work. It was done by a girl I took in." So the Tsar asked the old woman to see if Vasilisa would make the garments. Vasilisa made the shirts and the old woman took them to the Tsar. As she waited for the old woman to return, one of the Tsar's servants entered. He said loudly, "His Majesty wishes to see the needlewoman who has made his wonderful clothes." So Vasilisa went to the palace. Vasilisa and the Tsar were captivated by each other and eventually they married. When Vasilisa's father returned, they invited both him and the old woman to come and live at the palace. Also at the palace was the little doll. Vasilisa carried it around in her pocket until the day she died.”

            Whewee, what a tale, amiright? Now, Baba Yaga here is both the protector and the destroyer: without gifting Vasilisa the skull that shine light, the young woman would never have found freedom. But also, with Baba Yaga, she would never have had the power to destroy her evil family members. Further, Baba Yaga is seen as a Goddess-figure, with the mentioning of the three horses. As the story goes, they are the Day, Night, and Sun—all under her control. Thus, if she maintains such control, then a divine nature is her power. A Goddess, overall. 

            Which further means we may pray to her for our needs. But be warned: she will demand the utmost of you. She will help or hinder, so be prepared to come forward as you are—and to face her judgment. If you are brave and bold enough to do so, then go for it. She is not one to be idly messed with. 

            And that is where I leave you today, with the knowledge and wisdom of this mythical woman. A tale told is a tale won, much like the knowledge and wisdom it imparts. Do not be afraid to venture forth into the unknown and encounter her presence, for she is always present and available. She is always there—and will never not be watching. And by extension, guiding. And as a result, your magic, my magic—our magic—will always be made stronger…because of it. 

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            The stories, research, and production elements were done and edited, respectively, by me, Kieran, with sources attached in the description. If you want to be a guest on the show, or have a topic you wish me to explore and discuss, send me an email at beyondtheseaspodcast@gmail.com. And be sure to hit the follow button, on whichever platform you enjoy the podcast, and look forward to more content next week. Until then, seek the veil between the worlds, and allow yourself to travel…Beyond the Seas.