Baba Yaga as depicted by Ivan Bilibin (1902).

CONNER MOEN

Thousands of years ago, before Hansel and Gretel, there was another witch on the block; her name was Baba Yaga. Baba — most Ukrainians will affectionately call their grandmothers this, but it also means “old lady” — Yaga in Slavic Folklore is a wicked old creature often found in the forest. Baba Yaga is known for her distinguished chicken feet and can be found floating about in a large mortar and pestle, searching for delectable humans for nourishment. Children were — some still are today — advised not to go running off, or Baba Yaga would eat them. Growing up in an Eastern European household, Baba Yaga is pretty much a standard go-to tale to prevent a child from committing nearly any vice.