We know how Baba Yaga, which has been known to everyone since childhood, thanks to Russian folk tales, animated films and cinematographic films. As a rule, she is presented as a negative character, with a whimsical and even harmful character, and a rather unattractive appearance.
However, very few people know that not always in the minds of people she was an ugly old woman, building all sorts of intrigues to the main characters of fairy tales. How did this
fabulously mythological character originate
, and what external changes did the Baba Yaga undergo, a description of which is found in various sources? We will try to answer all these questions in the article.
Appearance
Such a fabulous character, like Baba Yaga, is present in Slavic mythology of different peoples. In different regions of Russia, it has several names: Yagikha, Yagabova and Yagaya baba. In Bulgaria, Poland, Serbia and the Czech Republic there are also similar mythological characters, though under different names, but their appearance and most of their habits are very similar. Baba Yaga lives away from people in a dense forest. Engaged in witchcraft and communicates with various forest inhabitants.
People communicate with her reluctantly, because the Baba Yaga looks rather sinister: old, hunched over, with a hooked nose and an ugly face, “decorated” with many warts, with long gray shag. And the character, according to fairy tales, is rather harmful: if it helps, then it is reluctant, trying to maximize complicate the life of the protagonist.
Prototypes and prototypes
Having learned what Baba Yaga looks like in childhood, it’s quite difficult to imagine that in the distant past our ancestors saw her as young and full of strength, a pretty powerful young beauty with blond braids, able to take on any appearance: a thunderstorm or animal, bird or cloud.
In the pantheon of the
gods of the ancient Slavs there was a kind goddess - the keeper of secret knowledge, clans and traditions, the mentor of children and orphans - Aga Yaginishna, Yoginya, who later turned into Baba Yaga. She lived on the border of Navi - the Dark Kingdom, and Yavi - physical reality. Since Yaga is with one foot in the realm of the dead, and the other is in the living world, she had to move around our world with a stupa - a special flying device. Agree, the resulting portrait of Baba Yaga is significantly different from the image that has been familiar to us since childhood? A similar goddess guarding the border between the world of the living and the dead exists in the mythological tradition of most European peoples: this is the German Holda, or, as it was also called, Perkhta, the Greek Hekate and the Hindu Kali.
A logical question arises: "How did the mighty beauty goddess turn into folk tales into an old recluse of a rather unpleasant appearance and an evil character?"
Turning
Folk tales, written mainly by researchers and literally revised relatively recently, tell us about what the Baba Yaga looks like. Until this time, such stories were an element of oral creativity and were transmitted to descendants through the story.
The transformation of the young goddess into a creature closer to the natural and forest spirits occurred after the matriarchy gave way to patriarchy. With a change in the social system, a change in the supreme gods occurred - the female deity gave way to a more aggressive male deity. Researchers suggest that such a change of objects of worship was negatively perceived by the priestesses of the Yogini Yaga cult, who left the tribes who, in their opinion, betrayed the faith. Having knowledge about the healing properties of plants and practical skills in their use, able to heal various ailments, witches (knowing, knowing) settled far away from people, in the depths of forests. Ordinary people, although they were afraid, but quite often turned to incomprehensible and therefore terrible sorcerers.
The adoption of Christianity in Russia led to the fact that the priestesses and followers of the cult of the pagan goddess Yogini began to be regarded as purely negative characters, and eventually turned into a collective image of the Baba Yaga.
On the face - terrible, but kind inside
After analyzing most of the tales of Baba Yaga, it is quite difficult to say whether she is a positive character or not. A similar problem arises from the fact that her actions quite often seem to be directed against the protagonist of the fairy tale. However, as the narrative develops, you understand that it’s the Baba Yaga, whose description draws the evil old sorceress, directs along the right, albeit strange, path and saves the heroic character from various misfortunes. Thanks to Yaga, a temporary transition of a good fellow from our world of Yavi to Nav and his successful return back becomes possible.
What a real Baba Yaga looks like is hard to say today. It is unlikely that the way they describe her folk tales and legends. But each of us has the opportunity to fantasize and present it as we like it more!