Baba Yaga

Once upon a time there was a couple who had an only daughter named

Matryona. When his wife suddenly died, the man married again. However, the

wicked stepmother never accepted his daughter as her own. She made her work

as a slave days and nights, treated her very bad and was looking forward how to

be rid of her forever without making her father upset. One morning Matryona’s

father went hunting. Since the stepmother knew that her husband will not come

back home until later, she asked the girl: "Dear Child, would you be so kind to go

down to my sister’s house and ask her if you can borrow her thread and a

needle. I would like to sew a new blouse for you as a present."

Matryona had no idea that she has been sent straight to Baba Yaga, the

old and ugly witch, who cannot tolerate a human. The little Matryona went on.

She walked through the darkness of forest and finally arrived to the witch's

residence. There was a log cabin that had two bird legs and claws, which was

surrounded by thick fence and heavy oak gates. Matryona was a brave girl and

went inside to meet her stepmother’s sister. Baba Yaga was busy inside, she

was spinning the wool and two daughters of hers were also there to help. "Good

day to you all," said the little girl. "The same exact to you, sweetheart!” - the witch

replied. "My Stepmother sent me here to ask for a needle and thread in order to

sew a new outfit for me," – stated Matryona. "She indeed did the right thing by

doing that, my dear child," - Baba Yaga said. And she added after: "Would you

please Sit down here and weave for me while I am looking for the things that

your stepmother wants you to bring her."

The girl took a seat at the loom and started spinning the wool. In the

meanwhile, Baba Yaga went outside and ordered her eldest daughter to heat up

the brick oven as hot as it could be since she was hungry and planned to cook

and eat Matryona for breakfast. The Baba Yaga’s eldest daughter stocked the

stove then took little Matryona and told her to sit still on the backing shovel.

Matryona was a smart and brave little girl and said to Baba Yaga’s eldest

daughter, that she does not know how exactly to sit still on the baking shovel:

“Would you show that to me as an example so I can copy it next?” The Baba

Yaga’s eldest daughter sat on the shovel and Matryona quickly popped her into

the flames of the stove. Matryona then climbed into the loft. When Baba Yaga

returned back home, her youngest daughter pulled her sister out of the stove and

served her to Baba Yaga for breakfast. The old witch went into her yard and

started dancing and singing: “I am dancing on Matryona’s bones!” Before she

finished her dance, she spotted Matryona and went to get her.

Baba Yaga grabbed the little girl and gave her to the youngest daughter

with an order to serve her for dinner, while the old witch went for hunting to the

forest. The second daughter stoked up the stove once again. She wanted to put

Matryona on the baking shovel, but the little girl tricked her the same way and

popped her into the hot stove. When Baba Yaga returned home, she started

calling her daughter, but nobody answered. Then she herself took the roast out

of the oven and ate it for dinner. Once again, the old witch went outside and

started singing: “I am dancing here on Matryona’s bones!” But Matryona shouted

down from the loft: “You dancing on your daughter’s bones!” Baba Yaga was

furious and wanted to catch Matryona immediately. The little girl climbed on the

top of the roof and shouted out: ”Hey, geese, swans and other kind and dear

birds, please fly down here and each of you spare just one feather for me.” The

birds heard the little girl’s voice, they flew down and pulled each one feather that

made a pair of strong wings for Matryona.

Matryona put them on and flew back home. By the time she landed, her

father was back from the forest. Matryona told him everything what happened,

and older man let his wicked wife go. She never came back so did the witch

Baba Yaga. Now when the tale has been told, if you listened well, you are as

good as gold.