Saturday 29 December 2007

Baba Yaga

LEGENDARY RUSSIAN OGRESS Baba Yaga, is reputed to feed on young children. She lives deep in the forest, in a house that moves round on chicken’s legs, surrounded by a fence made of bones. She is the wild old crone who is guardian of the Fountain of Life and Death. She flies through the air in an iron cauldron or pestle and mortar, sweeping away all trace of her passing with her broom.

Few people manage to reach the Fountain of Youth safely, but as the Old Bone Mother, representative of age, death and winter, she is also a renewing force, who will sprinkle decaying white bones with the water of life and resurrect them.

Her hut is said to spin, raising and falling according to seasonal changes. To approach Baba Yaga’s hut is believed to be symbolic of facing one’s own deepest darkest fears, or death. However, this confrontation usually results in renewal and greater wisdom.

Illustration: drypoint etching

PS ~ It's snowing!
And I know it has nothing to do with Baba Yaga but Oliver from next door says
"Let me in!"

3 comments:

Gretel said...

Of course its snowing your're in Scotland! ;)
(As a soft southerner I am convinced it always snows up there, when it's not raining)
Love your Baba Yaga,She has to be one of the most fearful characters ever - even Andy finds her disturbing.

Gretel said...

My God! That is amazing! Poor Oliver...but his coat looks thick enough to deal with it - do keep warm and lots of hot drinks.
I wish our weather was suitably atmospheric, but it is just a cold day with blues skies and a nasty little wind that creeps into parts you didn't know you had.

Don't you just love the internet? :)

Rima Staines said...

Yes amazing the wonders of the web ... :) Poor Oliver did get let in in the end! And the snow stopped a bit after that .. happy cold days to you x