4.Baba Yaga (Slavic Folklore)

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Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Welcome my Suki friends tomythos, according to your is
truly.
I'm your host, Wendy Morrow onthis podcast, we dive into.
The myths and folklore from allover the world.
These stories have shapedcultures.
Stirred imaginations and kept uscaptivated.
For centuries.
Together, we'll be exploring theorigins, meanings and mysteries
behind.

(00:21):
chills.
With a fresh perspective and alittle bit of fun.
So grab.
Your favorite drink and gatheraround my campfire for a tell
you.
You won't forget.
Today's tale.
It was about.
Baba Yaga.
This is a Slavic folklore, Ana.
And I'm so excited to talk aboutit.
In the heart of a deep ancientforest, hidden beneath shadows

(00:45):
and twisting trees, there stooda house pushed on enormous
chicken legs.
This was the home of Baba, afearsome witch known across the
land with skin as old as bark,and the gaze as shark as a
hawks.
Her house was enchanted, able toturn around at her command.
Always standing guard over thesecrets within, Legend spread

(01:08):
her immense power and herknowledge of magic, And her
ability for trickery, testingthe courage of any who dared
enter her domain.
One day, a young girl namedVasilisa found herself on the
edge of Baba Yaga's forest.
Vasilisa was kind hearted, butin need of courage, and she was

(01:29):
on a quest for something onlyBaba Yaga could provide.
A single glowing coal to relightthe family hearth.
Her stepmother, a cruel womanwho resented her beauty and
kindness, had sent her into theforest, hoping she would be lost
to Baba Yaga's forever.

(01:49):
Gathering her courage, Vasilisatook a deep breath and stepped
into the dark, tangled woods.
Clutching a small doll.
Her mother had given her.
Her mother had whispered, keepthis doll close, my dear, and it
will guide and protect you.
And so whenever she felt fear,she would hold the doll tight
and feel her mother's lovegiving her strength.

(02:12):
The approach to Baba's Hut afterhours of wondering Vais finally
came upon the strange sight ofthe chicken legged hut.
It loomed above her, swayingslightly, and she called out,
loudly, as she could, Oh, greatBaba Yaga, may I speak with you?
The heart turned around on itslegs, Twisting to face her as

(02:36):
Baba Yaga herself emerged, herlong bony fingers clutching a
walking stick, her eyes gleamedwith a wicked curiosity as she
examined the small figure beforeher.
Well, well, Baba Yaga called.
What brings such a littlecreature to my forest?
Her voice was thick and smoky,and her breath smelled of herbs

(02:59):
and ashes.
Vasilisa gathered her courage.
I came to ask for a coal torelight my family hearth.
A coal?
Baba Yaga sneered, leaningcloser to study Vasilisa's face.
Many have come to me withrequests, but few have left with
what they seek.
You must earn it, girl.

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I don't give gifts lightly.
Vasilisa's heart pounded.
She did not Basilisa's heartpounded, but she did not waver.
I am prepared to do whatever youask, Baba Yaga.
Trials of Wit and Bravery BabaYaga's grain grew whiter.
Very well, then, I will set youthree tasks, each one harder

(03:43):
than the last.
Fail, and you'll find yourselfas bones in my stew.
Succeed, and you'll have yourcoal.
Her first task was to clean herhouse from top to bottom.
Every speck of dust and everycobweb, As vase, Elisa entered
the hut.
It seemed endless with cornersthat stretched into the
darkness.

(04:04):
The shelves crowded with strangejars, but she remembered her
doll, and when she whispered hertroubles, the dolls spring to
life, sweeping and scrubbingwhile vasa guided it.
Finishing the task withremarkable speed, baba yaga
granted an approval.
Impressive, but let us see ifyou can do this.

(04:25):
She led Vasilisa outside,pointing to a pile of grain,
mixed with poppy seeds.
Separate these by morning, shecommanded.
Every last one.
Vasilisa was exhausted, but shewhispered to her doll, and the
tiny figure began its work.
All night the doll sortedtirelessly, and by morning the

(04:46):
seeds and grains were neatlyseparated.
Baba Yaga was astonished andgrudgingly impressed.
You're clever, she admitted, butonly the bravest deserve to
leave here alive.
The final task.
For the final task, Baba Yagademanded that Vasilisa find her

(05:07):
way to a well deep in the woods,guarded by the dark spirits.
Vasilisa felt a chill, but shetook her doll and set off.
The forest grew darker anddarker and more menacing, with
eyes peering from every shadow.
The spirits taunted her,whispering doubts.

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But she pressed forward, herdoll guiding her.
At last, she reached the welland filled the pail with water.
Returning to Baba Yaga, she heldout the pail with trembling
hands.
Baba Yaga took the water andgave her a look filled with an
odd mixture of admiration andresentment.
You have completed your task,girl.

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You are brave and resourceful.
Here, take this, she said,handling Vasilisa a single coal
that glowed with a warm glowinglight.
The lesson of Baba Yaga's gifts.
Before Vasilisa left, shemustered the courage to ask Baba
Yaga, Why did you help me, eventhough you didn't have to?

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Baba Yaga's eyes softened forjust a moment.
Not all who come to me learn thetruth, but you have proven
yourself.
Know this, it is not strengthalone that will seek you through
life's trials, but courage andwisdom and a little bit of help
from friends.
Remember, the forest has its ownmagic and its own favors with

(06:31):
the brave.
Vasilisa thanked her and hurriedhome.
When she placed a coal on herfamily's hearth, it sparked to
life, warming their home.
She had faced her fears, learnedthe value of wits and bravery,
and matured not only with fire,but with a heart fuller and
fiercer than ever.
Journey taught her, and all whoheard her story, That true

(06:54):
courage often lies not just instrength, but in facing the
unknown with an open heart and aclever mind.
Alright guys, at the end ofevery story, I share a scripture
that goes along with the storyand the lesson that was learned.
The scripture today is Joshua 1,9, and it quotes, Be strong and

(07:20):
of good courage, Be not afraid,neither be thou dismayed, for
the Lord God is with thee,whethersoever thou goest.
I truly do love this scripture,and the reason why it goes so
well with this folklore, isbecause Vasilisa had to be

(07:42):
strong and courageous and takeaction.
I feel like I've said thisbefore but inaction is action.
And so when you don't doanything, To help yourself Then
The results will always benegative.
You won't see any improvementuntil you take the steps

(08:04):
necessary to get where you'reWanting to go and where your
vision is at it's funny becauseI'm recording the second half of
this at a different date becauseI have problems recording the
end.
For some reason it wasn'tallowing me to properly record
the ending of the originalscripture I chose.

(08:27):
I was just out of town for afriend's wedding, and with
everything looming over me, withunemployment and figuring out
school and just all the otherthings in my life right now, I
have been so overwhelmed I thinkeverybody has moments like that
when we're just like I don'tknow if I can keep doing this

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like this is overwhelming I justwish I could just escape it, but
it's so much so that There's noplace for me to go to avoid my
problems and it's just likeokay, Wendy you have to fix this
head on and also Rememberingthat When we ask for help, when
we get on our knees and pray,and believe and hope that it

(09:14):
will happen for you and that youwill be blessed.
Being courageous is so much morethan just Being strong.
I looked up the definition ofdismayed, and it says,
experiencing or showing feelingof alarm or concern, upset,
worried, or agitated because ofsome unwilling situation or

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encounter.
And I'm definitely feelingdismayed.
I'm feeling hopeless, and attimes, had to constantly remind
myself that I am blessed, and Ihave opportunity, and I have to
count my blessings, and justallow God to influence my life,

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and to change my life.
And I know that, If I continueto find strength in, in God and
allow Him to influence my life,that I will receive blessings.
Recently I heard a quote aboutbeing, childlike and being

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submissive.
There's another scripture thatsays, That talks about how we
should be submissive and patientand full of love.
Willing to submit to all afather has.
And that if we do these things,he will carry us.
He will carry the broken pieces.
And right now I feel like Idefinitely have, some broken
pieces.

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I think about my life that I'velived so far and how I feel like
shattered glass my pieces arebroken and I have to believe
that in the end I will becomemore beautiful and Heavenly
Father will be able to mold meback together.

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Being broken is also, part ofnature and part of a season.
And that happens to everybody.
Also it's a beautiful thing.
In the Asian culture they have,broken pottery pieces that, they
glue back with liquid gold, andin the end, it looks more

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beautiful.
I'm trying to remember whatthat's called, because it's a
literal type of art, and it'sabsolutely gorgeous, but that's
what it reminds me of hope,courage, action, and, God and
truth.
That's the gold that holds ustogether and real faith and
believing that in the end we'llbecome more beautiful than how

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we started.
Something I also like about thisstory is that Vasilisa had her
mother's doll and that she feltlike her mother was close to
her.
Honestly to me, I really admirethat because I think about
family history and our parentsand loved ones and those that

(12:08):
truly care about us.
I think about how in my lifeI've received encouragement
from.
People that have loved me and Ithink about my, biological
mother as well.
And I think about how myancestors would want me to keep
moving forward.
These are literal angels thatare watching over you

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consistently.
So whether you feel alone, youare never alone.
Like you have ancestors, peoplethat have gone on before you.
People that have consistentlyfallen in love over the history
of time to make you, you havecome into this world because you
were meant to come into thisworld.

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It was very intentional and youhave people that have gone on
before you already that havemade marks in this world that
love you, that already know, howto handle life and the trials
and that you will face.
Like I don't think there's aperson that's not being watched

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over and guided Sometimes weignore them and we don't listen,
we don't pay attention.
I know in my life I've had likelittle experiences where I knew
that someone was watching overme and guiding me.
The other day I went to the parkand I was praying, meditating,
trying to figure out my life,and I looked up, and I saw this

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beautiful firefly Come and landright above me Literally right
above my head.
It did not move.
The other ones like would flyaway, but this one just stayed
And just sat there and was Ifelt like an overwhelming amount
of like peace settle into myheart.
And I was like, I wonder whatfireflies mean.

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And so I looked up the spiritualmeaning of fireflies.
And it meant like peace andguidance and love from those
that have passed on already.
Like your guardian angels.
And that reinsurance that thingswill be okay.
It just stayed there for a longtime until I left.

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Experiences like that, when youjust know that someone's
watching you, when something hasspecial meaning for you in your
life I know I appreciate whenpeople I know, help and serve
me, I love to serve my friendsas well, and that's always
helped me.
That's another lesson, we don'thave to do this life alone.

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It's not meant to be done alone.
There's a reason why we live intribes and communities.
We've always lived in tribes andcommunities, and we're not meant
to be alone?
Humans are not meant to bealone.
And so if you are, I wouldstrive to communicate and make

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connection with people, thatlove you.
Know it's a struggle because Istruggle with that sometimes.
I know when I'm hurt, I want toexclude myself.
I just want to like run.
Like I was saying earlier, Ijust want to leave and escape
and just, forget everything andeveryone but in all reality the

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thing that you're running fromis what's going to heal you in
the end and so I want toconclude this episode by saying
that Even though change is hardchange is also really good And
difficulty makes you stronger.
Trials and tribulations teachesyou hope and faith and courage

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to move on and move forward.
I truly love you guys and I hopethat you know that you are
special alright, my spookyfriends.
I will see you on the nextepisode.