Russian folk tales with Baba Yaga

In the fairy-tale world, there are a large number of colorful and very recognizable characters. For example, Baba Yaga. This is one of the oldest characters. Tales from Baba Yaga relate to folklore, where the heroine herself acts as an unclean force. In them she does both dirty tricks and good deeds. In this article, we will consider various fairy tales with Baba Yaga (we will list the names of the most famous) and talk about the character himself.

Fairytale character Baba Yaga

Let us consider in more detail what kind of character this is, Baba Yaga. In Slavic mythology, this is an old woman who knows how to conjure, do dirty tricks and very rarely - good. Baba Yaga lives in a dark forest, in a hut on chicken legs. Around the hut there will certainly be a high fence on which to find human bones and skulls. Baba Yaga also flies in a mortar, helping himself with a broom.

Tales from Baba Yaga show this character from three sides:

• one that can present a gift to a good fellow (a fairy horse or the desired magic item);
• one that kidnaps children and roasts them in its oven;
• the one they are going to fight with.

Those experts who understood where this image came from put forward several different hypotheses. Some believed that Baba Yaga represents a deceased ancestor. Others suggested that this image came into a fairy tale from the way when the head of the clan was a very strong woman who has the right to teach as a strong head of the clan and a knowledgeable person.

In any case, Baba Yaga is a powerful and wise woman of age, which can both help a traveler on the road and become a great test that needs to be solved. Below we will consider the most famous fairy tales with this character.

Tales of Baba Yaga in which she does bad deeds

There are a number of fairy tales in which Baba Yaga does bad deeds (kidnaps children, keeps a beautiful girl in captivity, etc.). Such Russian fairy tales with Baba Yaga are usually read to very young children. In them, it is a factor of edification. It is after such tales that parents teach their children. Let's consider some of them.

• "Baba Yaga bone leg." This tale tells of an obedient daughter, who, at the behest of her stepmother, goes to the forest to Baba Yaga. On her way, she overcomes various obstacles to get out of evil captivity. The tale tells of obedience, kindness.
• "Baba Yaga and Zamoryshek." This tale tells about siblings, one of which was the smartest. Here fate brought them to Baba Yaga, and thanks to their ingenuity and resourcefulness, the brothers were able to get rid of the disaster.
• "Swan geese". In this tale, Baba Yaga is a negative character who orders his geese to steal children.
• "Marya Morevna." A strong warrior Marya is held captive by Koshchei the Immortal, who, after some time, unknowingly, is released by Ivan Tsarevich. To save his beloved, he needed the horse of Baba Yaga.

Tales in which Baba Yaga helps a young man or a girl

There are also tales in which Baba Yaga appears as a wise and lonely woman who instructs a lost young man. At the same time, she can give him a magical item, which will lead him where necessary or help in a difficult time. Consider these tales with Baba Yaga:

• "Vasilisa the Beautiful." This is a Russian folk tale, which tells about a poor girl forced to follow the orders of her stepmother. When the stepmother’s daughter sent her to Baba Yaga for fire, she went. Fulfilling all the orders of the old woman, Vasilisa received what she came for.
• "Feather Feather Yasna Sokol." In this tale, the character of Baba Yaga is shown on the good side. The main character is an enchanted fellow, whom his lover is going to save. On her way she meets three Grandmother Hedgehogs, who give her one magical item. With their help, she frees the beloved Finist.
• "Go there, I don’t know where, bring that, I don’t know what." An amazing and magical story, where Baba Yaga appears in a completely different way - a good helper to the young man on his way.

Folk tales about Babu Yaga

You can also meet fairy tales with Baba Yaga among other nations, only there they call it a little differently. For example, in Serbian folklore it is called Baba Roga, in Montenegro - Baba Ruga. Consider the tales in which she appears.

• "Pilipka son." This is a Belarusian fairy tale about a very smart boy who confronts Baba Yaga and her daughter.
• "Rejuvenating apples" (Ukrainian fairy tale).
• "Khortki" (Belarusian fairy tale).

As you can see, folk tales with Baba Yaga are very common around the world. Some tales are very similar to each other, the obligatory difference is the name of Baba Yaga, as well as some details on the plot. In addition, this image is not only a horror story for children, but also shows some aspects of the life of our ancestors.

Baba Yaga in cinema and animation

Also, this character can be found in films and cartoons. Of course, they were based on Russian folk tales with Baba Yaga. Below will be listed some of the most famous. So, fairy tales with Baba Yaga (names):

• "Frost" (movie);
• Golden Horns (movie);
• "Vasilisa the Beautiful" (movie);
• "New Year's Adventures of Masha and Viti" (movie);
• "Geese Swans" (cartoon);
• "The Frog Princess" (cartoon);
• "Vasilisa the Beautiful" (cartoon);
• The Flying Ship (cartoon);
• "The Adventures of the Domen" (cartoon).

Of course, this is not the whole list of cartoons and films, in the plot of which lay the tales or the very image of Baba Yaga. It is so colorful that it is very common.

Conclusion

So, we examined tales with the participation of Baba Yaga. As you can see, they are quite diverse. Reading these tales to children, one should explain what kind of image this is, what is its instructiveness. You can even talk about versions of its occurrence. Perhaps your child will like it.