Old Bony Legs

( A retelling of an old favorite)

Once there was an old witch whose home stood on chicken legs. Glowing-eyed guardians encircle the house. To enter the house, you must say, “House, turn your back toward the forest and your front toward me.”

Being a magical house, it could travel anywhere it wanted until nightfall. When once again the guardians appeared, and the house turned its front toward the forest.

Baba Yaga lived in the house, and she would invite children in and then eat them. She had a black cat named Sylvester who would help the children escape if they were kind. The cat liked to upset Baba Yaga to get back at her for her cruelty.

One day, an evil aunt instructed her niece to fetch a magical healing potion from the witch. The aunt wanted her to die so she could take the money left by her parents.

As the girl approached the house on chicken legs, the cat greeted her. Because the girl was kind and answered all the cat’s questions, he told her how to defeat the witch.

Baba Yaga invited the girl in, thinking she was about to have her next meal. To finish the potion, Baba Yaga needed a troll’s lily. If she fails to get it from the troll, Baba would eat the girl.

Remembering the cat’s words, the girl gathered fish as a gift for the troll. Greeting the troll with the fish, the girl asked only for a single lily. The delighted troll provided her with one in exchange for the tasty food.

The witch became angry at her success. Baba Yaga did honor their agreement and provided her with the potion.

Before leaving, Baba Yaga asked the girl to check the fire, intending to push her in and cook her alive. The girl pretended not to know how to check the fire and asked Baba to show her.

The witch pushed the girl aside and leaned over to show her the oven’s opening. With a swift kick, the girl pushed the witch into the fire and slammed the door shut.

Grabbing the potion, she dashed out the door. Reaching home, her grandfather questioned her about her absence.

The girl’s grandfather became furious when he heard what the aunt had done and sent her to the forest. The two spent many happy years together because Baba’s potion made you live for over 200 years.

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