Hello Fredrik, I am from Russia, I am a historian and my specialization is religion and mythology, so I could give you some answers on this subject. Please forgive me for my poor English. Baba Yaga is an ancient god of death. One of the tree, actually. Slavic mythology has very interesting and rich myths about death and the underworld. Here how it works - there is Yav’ (Явь) the realm of mortals, and Nav’ (Навь) realm of death. There were three gods that represents death: Koshey (Кощей) - evil god, some sort of grim reaper, Veles (Велес) - shepherd that protects the souls of the dead, and Yaga - gatekeeper of underworld. Yaga lives on outskirt of forest, because forest in Slavic mythology represents Nav’, so basically she lives between realms. Her house is a portal to the underworld, because it’s a grave. Ancient Slavic graves were small house-like structures, that were stand on pillars that were “smoked” by sacrificial smoke. You see - the word куриный (chiken) and verb курить (to smoke) sounds similar in Russian, so this is how this misunderstanding was created. Title “Bone-legs” (or “bone-leg” to be correct) means that she is half-dead, because of her existence in between realities. She has long nose because she can’t see living, only smell them. Baba Yaga as a good character came from myth about “Vasilysa The Beautiful” kidnaping. Vasilysa is a character referring to life and nature. Koshey kidnaps her and drag into Nav’. Because of that, world is now covers with snow (in many cultures winter associated with death). So now, brave hero must go into underworld to save Vasilysa. (Sound like Dark Souls plot, aren’t it?) But first he has to meet the Gatekeeper - Baba Yaga, so she could open the portal to the realm of death. Baba Yaga would trial our hero and if he will not pass the test, she will cook and eat him. But most of the time it ends well. By the way - one of the version on what “Yaga” means, is that it comes from “yagushka” (ягушка), a small doll that supposed to hold a soul of a died person, for a while. Hope this would be helpful to you. Love your channel.
Just a note to those who might read this guys comment in the spirit of honesty and truth Most of what he is saying is not supported by scholars and researchers and has a fair bit of Russian bias. When DTRH was talking about Russians taking credit in the video he was talking about people like @Cancer 4 Cure.
"“Vasilysa The Beautiful” kidnaping. Vasilysa is a character referring to life and nature. Koshey kidnaps her and drag into Nav’. Because of that, world is now covers with snow (in many cultures winter associated with death). So now, brave hero must go into underworld to save Vasilysa. (Sound like Dark Souls plot, aren’t it?)" I was thinking it sounds more like a blend of Persephone & Hades story with Eurydice & Orpheus, from greek mythology.
2:26 Traditional Russian houses used big brick stoves for heating, and they had a warm little bed built into the bricks. So when a Russian fairy tale talks about someone "lying on the stove," they don't mean the person was literally on top of a burning metal pot lol. It looks like this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_oven#/media/File:Atkinson_Isba_1803_crop.jpg Just a bit of trivia. Love the vids :D
I'd like to make a note that this is TECHNICALLY the second episode in the series. The first was released October of last year on its own channel, but I took it offline so that people weren't directed to the wrong place, since my channel is going to be the new home of The Grimm Archives for now. I'm going to be refurbishing it a tiny bit and re-releasing it in the next week or two onto this channel. Also, yes, I loved John Wick.
I really am loving this video, it's so ambient but yet engaging. Keep up the good work. In the future, can you do video on the dullahan, I haven't found anything in-depth of its origin online.
Fredrik Knudsen I'm glad you started this series. Have been searching for something just like this for a while now. Good work and hoping to see even more. 👍
Markus flakes There are a lot of inconsistencies with the character between stories. I'm not sure if any story addresses the particular problem of the fence, though. Another issue is the way that most artistic interpretations actually have doors and windows, while the hut is usually described as not having any. I think these inconsistencies stem from the Baba Yaga's fractured origin.
Bulgaria's version of Baba Yaga is usually portrayed with a less outlandish appearance, still often having a long nose, but lacking the metal body parts and stuff. She's also most often said to be flying on a broom, like the more traditional witches(also, "baba" literally means "granny", atleast in Bulgarian). Aside from that, most stuff you said for the Russian Baba Yaga apply to the Bulgarian one as well, like her hut being on chicken legs and her usual role in the story. Loved the video by the way, though I'm slightly irked by the way you pronounce her name.
@Marcel Huchwajda I men me drazni kak proiznasqt ''Yaga'' at least toi kaza often pronounced as.. i go kaza pravilno , no na tam produlji po greshniq nachin xD
Liked this one a lot. However, I think that Baba Yaga has clear Pagan origins. Like with most Slavic Gods she was transformed into a miserable shadow of herself after the arrival of Orthodox Christianity to Russia. She moved from a goddes of the forest to demon of the forest to witch of the forest. Another thing that is often overlooked is that if there is a bigger antagonist (Koshey the Immortal for example.) in the stories featuring her, she almost always acts not as a donor, but as a supportive figure.
Slavic "demons" or atleast few are not evil, lets take "Boruta" polish "demon" of forest, last mention is from time of polish partritions 1793-1918 where 2 desserters from tsars army were helped by him.
Most pictures that are used in the video are drawn by a Russian artist Ivan Biblin. He made numerous illustrations for old folklore stories that were included in book tales many Russians have read as kids.
So the John Wick movies simplified Baba Yaga into a Russian boogieman, presumably because they sound similar. The reality that they named an unstoppable hit man after an old woman with a hut that walks on chicken legs is funny to me.
That's because mothers and grand-mothers used to scare kids shitless with stories about Baba Yaga, so calling Wick after her is actually showing off how much the Russians feared him.
I wouldn't turn down a revival of this little series, with or without the animation. I love listening to folklore, and I find your voice clear and easy to understand. You've got a great voice for documentary, obviously.
This is amazing. I am going to school for folklore and anthropology. What most people don't realize and talk about very often is how incredible Slavic folklore is. Most people don't understand how dark and desolate those regions are, especially were. For a region like that, where daily life is filled with fear, what must scare people like that?
2:28 Ouch! Actually, Russian stoves were tall and made of masonry so it was common for a regular person to have a bed fashioned on top without getting burns.
How about making a few videos of slavic culture. Because there's not much of it written mostly spoken tales. My grandmother used to scare me with these creatures like Utopce, Południce etc
god125 polednice and vodnik (basicaly equivalent to utopec) are used as a character in Erben's Kytice, a czech lyrical compulation in which folklore monsters play significant and symbolic roles. Would highly suggest you pick this up, but i'm uncertain if some translated version even exists.
From the department of nit-picks, Witches have been known to use things other then brooms for flying. Animals like pigs or cows and other household objects like bench have been depicted as things a witch could ride on. So the fact that Baba Yaga uses a pastel and mortar isn't a trait that makes her less witchy.
The production quality of all your videos is so high. I always feel like I'm watching a documentary something similar when I watch one of your videos. Please continue making high quality content.
I'm South Slavic. For some reason I remember reading in a mythology book that the baba Yaga (Jaga) was a form of Morana, a winter goddess - more precisely one of the faces she carries. Could be my memory's faulty or it could be the book just inserted that without checking sources.... so yeah.
HOLY SHIT, THAT ANIMATION AND POLISH THOUGH! I'm so happy youre putting this much polish and effort on your videos! It feels like a tv show and I love watching the heck out of this already
I, for one, wish you had kept-on with this series. You narrate well, obviously, and the animation is excellent. Good stuff! Anyway, I hope you don't delete the two "Grimms Archives" episodes, they're keepers.
Do one on the Yeti,Bigfoot,etc or maybe a lesser known mystical creature like the Giant Iron Wolf of Lithuania I really like these Eastern European Monsters, really unique and nothing like it in the west
From what I believe, Baba Yaga is linked with Morana/Marzanna, Baltic Goddess of winter, death, time (also low magic, witchery...anything "evil"). She's very similar to the Hindu goddess Kali, and Morgana, Celtic triune goddess of death, or even female lunar association like Hecate. In essence, she's the "dark" form of the Mother Goddess. But her pagan roots are mixed with Slavic traditions in spell casting, and season ritual. The little information detailing her origins is the result of the Eastern/Slav oral tradition, and very limited writing and recording.
She never depicted as goddess of some sort, just creepy supernatural woman, who lives deep in the forest. It's never implied, that there is only one Yaga out there. For me she is like corrupted insane witch, who hides in the forest. I want to put emphasis on "corrupted", since it's normal to have a regular "witch" in a village in Russia (they never called "witches", thou, an i can't recall how they called properly, maybe just "babka" (old woman) + personal name), i even visited one myself when i was around of age of six, or so, because my grandparents was from small village. As far as i know it is believed, that their supernatural abilities to heal, to curse, to see things and to transform to animals is unwanted and some kind of a toll, and they must never use them to benefit themselves (they decline any payment for their help). And when witch is about to die she must pass her abilities to another woman, or else she cannot die for weeks in great suffering. This may sound as old folklore, but in a not so deep corners of Russia this traditions is alive and actually practiced.
I read a varity of ressources claiming the possibilty. Teleporting, using overworldy powers etc. Why do people water being likes her down to a modern version of witch. She has far more to offer not to mention her similarities to those goddesses. The chicken legs may jusst be an translation error for fog which is often used to describe a place being the border of life and death. Whatever you read about witches though, don't see at as canon because it is not. It is just a regional believe.
I had the biggest smile on my face when I saw this pop up. I've been working on a project in which Baba Yaga has a pivotal role in, this will be amazing reference material.
AtticWarrior1994 if you want some more material, I once read a book inspired by Russian and Slavic folklore with Baba Yaga as one the main supporting characters It was called Egg and Spoon, and I found the writer to excellently portray how Baba may speak, look, act, move etc alongside detail to Russian stories.
Fun fact: The Crones of Crookback Bog from The Witcher 3 are based off of the Baba Yaga. Being older than the bog itself and eating orphan or wayward children that fall into their domain. They are also ambivalent to the people dwelling in their swamp, sometimes giving aid in return for children or ears but caring little about their lives beyond what they can gain in return.
In almost every culture, there is an archetype of an elderly woman who is both wise and cruel, depending on who you ask. She represents the crone, the woman who is no longer of child-bearing age, and is the bearer of secret knowledge - she is healer, prophet, historian - a matriarch figure who links past and present to the future. In pagan cultures, the role of the priest is often given to women or a person of no-gender (or a third gender, with both female/male characteristics) because the woman has the biological means of reproduction and was seen as having magical powers while a third gender person is regarded as being of neither earthbound or skybound and as such could act as an intermediary between earth and heaven. With the arrival of Judaeochristian beliefs, however, many pagan belief systems were demonised and pagan priestesses were painted as witches with evil powers and intentions. Many of them retreated into solitary forest dwellings to escape persecution - and thus became crones of the forest, of untold magical powers, preying on the innocence of little children, devourers of men. You must read Clarissa Pinkola Estes's "Women Who Run With The Wolves" to understand how many of these folktales that have come down to us conceal a history of the persecution of feminine cults by patriarchal cults.
First time I ever heard of Baba Yaga was in Sandman, she appeared in a story where a young man named Vassily ran away from his home, pursuing adventure
I first heard of Baba Yaga when playing the original "Hero's Quest / Quest for Glory" by Sierra. VIVID memories of the chicken-leg hut and the dangerous witch inside. Tremendous video here, Fredrik!
An absolutely enjoyable analysis of a classic character of folklore. I am very impressed with both your research and presentation. I shall be happily expecting more to come. I hope that you will cover something from Ireland in the future.
Interesting to realize Yubaba from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away is a reference to Baba Yaga. Similar name, similar appearance. Her sister lives in a swampy forest. Meanwhile, Howl inherited her hut, chicken legs included.
8:11 - these doorless and windowless huts on props are not only storages, that's also how they bury shamans deep in the woods. Seems to me the latter is more logical prototype for Yaga's hut.
A series based on slightly obscure folklore legends? Oh Fredrik, you do spoil us. Love the art as well, reminds me a lot of MIke Mignola. Super hyped for a potential episode on Spring-heeled Jack.
So well done!! You've really went above and made some immensely high quality content, I'm as impressed as ever. Wanted to say that the animation and artwork really lends itself to your style of exposition. Thanks for the content, looking forward to more Fredrik!
Awesome essay. I have learned so much from this video even though I come from a Slavic country. PS: "Jezibaba" (as we call her in Czech republic) is pronounced "Yejibaba". I laughed my ass off when you said "Jazzy Baba". Now I can't get the image of an old hag playing saxophone out of my head.
There is a game Dominions 5, and there is a nation in it named Rus. And in that nation you have Baba Yaga as a hero character that can show up whenever she pleases. And she's a real boon when she does, because with the spread of orthodox chirch people apparently forget how to magic and she's your nation's only access to a whole bunch of usefull unique summons.
Russian here You got everything rather correct, maybe except the name and what not mentioned by others, but at the start the only thing which bothered me was the design of the hut at the start, as the traditional houses have a more rectangular design. Otherwise good job and keep up the awesome work!!
This is awesome Fredrik! ! It looks great. Keep it up man I'm sure the popularity of this style of video will increase as word spreads about it. I found this after the rabbit hole series I'm sure many more will in time. Love it!
The Bogeyman would be interesting, but also complicated, due to the fact that a. the actual character of the Bogeyman varies wildly from region to region of England and America, and b. that basically EVERY SINGLE CULTURE ON EARTH has some kind of bogeyman or devil concocted to scare children into good behaviour.
The amount of things Mr Knudsen could do with this series is immense, owing to how many myths, legends, sagas, fairy tales, conspiracy theories, urban legends, etc. that're out there which could be used for material.
I heard of Baba Yaga in a 1997 movie called "Lawn Dogs" starring an 11-year-old Mischa Barton, Sam Rockwell, Kathleen Quinlan, Christopher McDonald, and David Barry Gray. I thought they invented Baba Yaga just for the movie, was thrilled to learn it was real Russian folklore. Some really good acting in the movie, even some cool Baba Yaga special effects at the end. Catch it if you can.
Great video. I hope you do lore on lesser known creatures or from different countries. Nixies, Kelpies, or ones from Asia. The "manananggal" is a woman which detaches from her lower half at night and uses her tongue to eat the unborn child of a pregnant woman.
Russia was created by Ukrainian lords on refugee when Poland take over Ukraine, and most of russian genom is North Asian not Slavic. Baba Jaga was created in praslavic lands of, notrh western Ukraine, eastern Poland, and souther Belarus and spread with migration of our tribrs that's why she is known in all of Slavic countrys, and countrys influenced by Slavs like Hungary, Romania, Moldavia, Grece, Germany and others. Also What legend of baba Jaga is in your region, in southern Podlasie in Poland we have Baba Jaga whom live in a House on one chicken leg, and she sits in a was sitting in his chimney and firing her broomstick with thunderbolts at grownups and she tempted the children with sweet bread rolls on the path to her home.
@@AverageJoe8686I do not mean ancient Greeks only medieval and modern. Slavic "antiquity" happened in the early Middle Ages (~IV-IX century). I'm not turbo-Lechit ;)
8:08-8:44: As I am looking at this hut, I seriously could not stop thinking about Donkey Kong's treehouse. Especially when Baba Yaga's hut is to keep outsiders out, and stay on a high place for safety. Maybe DK got some inspiration from this or he just wanted a really cool treehouse or both.
I remember reading the story with the two children as a child and being quite scared. Was interesting to learn the background of it as it's a vivid memory
I think she is the character of night horrors. I have had it happen a couple times. She lies across your chrest and you cant breathe or call out. If lucky you will survive. If not you will have a heart attack. This is how people die in tehri sleep. Sheer horror.
So I went over to the original channel, and there was only the trailer there. I wish we got more Grimm Archives. Just the idea of a whole library full of these things sounds wicked cool.
In polish version of "Hansel and Gretel", the evil witch is called Baba Yaga. know that witch from this fairytale lives in a gingerbread house, not in a walking hut, but thats what it is. I remember having a little plastic toy of Baba Yaga carrying a big potato sack on her back. The toy had wheels and while it "walked" on those wheels, something in this sack was moving. After I got that toy, parents told me that if I won't behave, she will kidnap me and throw into her sack to other lids and then she will eat us
Very cool. I didn't know of the folklore directly, but the name sounded familiar. Turns out I had bumped into it without thought via Konami's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, where a witch character named Baba Yaga plays a role in the story pretty far into the game.
I think Baba Yaga has a lot in common with Odin. He was referred as "Allfather" and practiced magic (which was considered something a woman would do). He was also a trickster god with ambiguous intentions: he often preferred to have the best warrior to die in battle in order to bring them to his halls. He also led the Wyld Hunt, in which he rode his 8 legged horse Sleipnir, guiding the soul of the dead during the night.
This is an interesting new series Frederick, great work as always! I would like to make a suggestion on La Llorona, an Mexican urban legend I have grew up with.
Wait, wait, WAIT your going to talk about Springheel Jack? Oh my god I honestly can't wait, he's one of my favorite mythical...people? Well whatever he is, I just love the idea of his appearance if I'm being honest. Really its one of the reason I love the guy so much.
We have a version of Baba Yaga in Croatia but we call her Babaroga (Baba being either an infintile or derogatory term for a grandmother and Rog meaning horn - maybe suggesting her connection to something demonic) I have ran into an explanation that Yaga means "wicked" in the old slavic languages. She is mostly a parenting tool and is somewhat blurred together with the Hansel and Gretel in modern times.
Hello Fredrik, I am from Russia, I am a historian and my specialization is religion and mythology, so I could give you some answers on this subject. Please forgive me for my poor English.
Baba Yaga is an ancient god of death. One of the tree, actually. Slavic mythology has very interesting and rich myths about death and the underworld. Here how it works - there is Yav’ (Явь) the realm of mortals, and Nav’ (Навь) realm of death. There were three gods that represents death: Koshey (Кощей) - evil god, some sort of grim reaper, Veles (Велес) - shepherd that protects the souls of the dead, and Yaga - gatekeeper of underworld.
Yaga lives on outskirt of forest, because forest in Slavic mythology represents Nav’, so basically she lives between realms. Her house is a portal to the underworld, because it’s a grave. Ancient Slavic graves were small house-like structures, that were stand on pillars that were “smoked” by sacrificial smoke. You see - the word куриный (chiken) and verb курить (to smoke) sounds similar in Russian, so this is how this misunderstanding was created. Title “Bone-legs” (or “bone-leg” to be correct) means that she is half-dead, because of her existence in between realities. She has long nose because she can’t see living, only smell them.
Baba Yaga as a good character came from myth about “Vasilysa The Beautiful” kidnaping. Vasilysa is a character referring to life and nature. Koshey kidnaps her and drag into Nav’. Because of that, world is now covers with snow (in many cultures winter associated with death). So now, brave hero must go into underworld to save Vasilysa. (Sound like Dark Souls plot, aren’t it?) But first he has to meet the Gatekeeper - Baba Yaga, so she could open the portal to the realm of death. Baba Yaga would trial our hero and if he will not pass the test, she will cook and eat him. But most of the time it ends well.
By the way - one of the version on what “Yaga” means, is that it comes from “yagushka” (ягушка), a small doll that supposed to hold a soul of a died person, for a while. Hope this would be helpful to you. Love your channel.
Wow thank you for the informations , it is very interesting .
Russian: says poor english
Me, a native speaker: has worse english
Funny, she's named after a soul receptacle but Koschey is the one who's a straight-up D&D lich.
Just a note to those who might read this guys comment in the spirit of honesty and truth Most of what he is saying is not supported by scholars and researchers and has a fair bit of Russian bias. When DTRH was talking about Russians taking credit in the video he was talking about people like @Cancer 4 Cure.
"“Vasilysa The Beautiful” kidnaping. Vasilysa is a character referring to life and nature. Koshey kidnaps her and drag into Nav’. Because of that, world is now covers with snow (in many cultures winter associated with death). So now, brave hero must go into underworld to save Vasilysa. (Sound like Dark Souls plot, aren’t it?)"
I was thinking it sounds more like a blend of Persephone & Hades story with Eurydice & Orpheus, from greek mythology.
2:26 Traditional Russian houses used big brick stoves for heating, and they had a warm little bed built into the bricks. So when a Russian fairy tale talks about someone "lying on the stove," they don't mean the person was literally on top of a burning metal pot lol. It looks like this: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_oven#/media/File:Atkinson_Isba_1803_crop.jpg
Just a bit of trivia. Love the vids :D
cool! thanks for this
that makes a lot more sense thank you
All poor Russians sleep on their stove. The animals too are brought inside the ibza.
I'd like to make a note that this is TECHNICALLY the second episode in the series. The first was released October of last year on its own channel, but I took it offline so that people weren't directed to the wrong place, since my channel is going to be the new home of The Grimm Archives for now. I'm going to be refurbishing it a tiny bit and re-releasing it in the next week or two onto this channel.
Also, yes, I loved John Wick.
I enjoy the inclusion of your spooky assistant. It's always good to have a helping hand.
I really am loving this video, it's so ambient but yet engaging. Keep up the good work. In the future, can you do video on the dullahan, I haven't found anything in-depth of its origin online.
Fredrik Knudsen I'm glad you started this series. Have been searching for something just like this for a while now. Good work and hoping to see even more. 👍
Fredrik Knudsen The video was awesome! The animator did a terrific job with the artwork.
Mr Knudsen, when exactly is the Spring-Heeled Jack episode coming in this series?
But if the house have legs, how does the fence with the skulls follow the house? Does the fence also have legs?
Markus flakes fuck😂😭
Markus flakes my guess would be that the fence stays in a stationary location. And the house returns to that location frequently.
Every time it moves she's gotta go collect more skulls from the surrounding villages and homesteads.
Markus flakes There are a lot of inconsistencies with the character between stories. I'm not sure if any story addresses the particular problem of the fence, though. Another issue is the way that most artistic interpretations actually have doors and windows, while the hut is usually described as not having any. I think these inconsistencies stem from the Baba Yaga's fractured origin.
It's got a really nice wrap around porch... made of skulls. Or the house and you get teleported to the gates of the dead.
Bulgaria's version of Baba Yaga is usually portrayed with a less outlandish appearance, still often having a long nose, but lacking the metal body parts and stuff. She's also most often said to be flying on a broom, like the more traditional witches(also, "baba" literally means "granny", atleast in Bulgarian). Aside from that, most stuff you said for the Russian Baba Yaga apply to the Bulgarian one as well, like her hut being on chicken legs and her usual role in the story.
Loved the video by the way, though I'm slightly irked by the way you pronounce her name.
@Marcel Huchwajda I men me drazni kak proiznasqt ''Yaga'' at least toi kaza often pronounced as.. i go kaza pravilno , no na tam produlji po greshniq nachin xD
How is it supposed to be pronounced
Liked this one a lot. However, I think that Baba Yaga has clear Pagan origins. Like with most Slavic Gods she was transformed into a miserable shadow of herself after the arrival of Orthodox Christianity to Russia. She moved from a goddes of the forest to demon of the forest to witch of the forest. Another thing that is often overlooked is that if there is a bigger antagonist (Koshey the Immortal for example.) in the stories featuring her, she almost always acts not as a donor, but as a supportive figure.
Slavic "demons" or atleast few are not evil, lets take "Boruta" polish "demon" of forest, last mention is from time of polish partritions 1793-1918 where 2 desserters from tsars army were helped by him.
It's nice to see Russian Frederick fans out there)
Koshey is metal af, its a fuckin lich dude
I've heard she can kill three men with a pencil.
I heard she doesn't have to tilt her head when she eats a taco.
I've heard she's a very nice person, and I would like you all to stop speaking so ill of her.
With. A fucking. Pencil
Actuallt i think it was a pen
Thank you, I needed to see your comment.
I'm a strong, young, independent Baba Yaga who don't need a man.
@@wespaul9345 don't get got uknw my baba yagas lurkin outcheaa
Well if you look like her , you will not get one anyway.
The animation and stuff was really cool, and added a lot to the video!
What animation?
Most pictures that are used in the video are drawn by a Russian artist Ivan Biblin. He made numerous illustrations for old folklore stories that were included in book tales many Russians have read as kids.
So the John Wick movies simplified Baba Yaga into a Russian boogieman, presumably because they sound similar. The reality that they named an unstoppable hit man after an old woman with a hut that walks on chicken legs is funny to me.
That's because mothers and grand-mothers used to scare kids shitless with stories about Baba Yaga, so calling Wick after her is actually showing off how much the Russians feared him.
they probably messed up when researching Russian folklore. They should have named Wick Babay or Babayka - a generic boogeyman that steals children.
Didn't they say that he was the one you called to kill the boogieman?
@@revstalker7334 except they didn't. Baba Yaga was seen as a somewhat humorous fairytale figure even when my grandparents were still kids.
Roach dog jr?
I wouldn't turn down a revival of this little series, with or without the animation. I love listening to folklore, and I find your voice clear and easy to understand. You've got a great voice for documentary, obviously.
This is amazing. I am going to school for folklore and anthropology. What most people don't realize and talk about very often is how incredible Slavic folklore is. Most people don't understand how dark and desolate those regions are, especially were. For a region like that, where daily life is filled with fear, what must scare people like that?
Not much scared me, but Baba Yaga certainly did as a child. Terrifying.
2:28 Ouch! Actually, Russian stoves were tall and made of masonry so it was common for a regular person to have a bed fashioned on top without getting burns.
One time Baba Yaga stole my gamecube
(not clickbait!!!)
SHOCKING!!!😱😱😱
Damn she done got u too eh
(Gone sexual)
The chicken house from RuneScape makes sense now.
@Roscoe Patterson Lunar Isle. It's owned by a Lunar witch literally named Baba Yaga.
I'm rather saddened by the lack of additional episodes in the series.
I am also, rather saddened.
How about making a few videos of slavic culture. Because there's not much of it written mostly spoken tales. My grandmother used to scare me with these creatures like Utopce, Południce etc
god125 polednice and vodnik (basicaly equivalent to utopec) are used as a character in Erben's Kytice, a czech lyrical compulation in which folklore monsters play significant and symbolic roles. Would highly suggest you pick this up, but i'm uncertain if some translated version even exists.
I think thats the reason slavic folklore is so beautiful, its not written down and that makes for some really diverse characters and creatures.
Do tell. Im interested
*folklore
So basically ur grandma scared you with NPCs from Witcher?
I wish these had gotten more attention so that Fredrik would continue the series. But, I'm happy with whatever.
From the department of nit-picks, Witches have been known to use things other then brooms for flying. Animals like pigs or cows and other household objects like bench have been depicted as things a witch could ride on. So the fact that Baba Yaga uses a pastel and mortar isn't a trait that makes her less witchy.
Don't forget Russia other greatest fairy tale: the pickle man.
Соленья...
Solyena...
PICKLE RIIIIIIICK
Dont they call John wick baba yaga?
How did I know someone would say pickle Rick..
Ey, nice to see another episode after so long! Can't wait for more!
Agreed.
The production quality of all your videos is so high. I always feel like I'm watching a documentary something similar when I watch one of your videos. Please continue making high quality content.
I'm South Slavic. For some reason I remember reading in a mythology book that the baba Yaga (Jaga) was a form of Morana, a winter goddess - more precisely one of the faces she carries. Could be my memory's faulty or it could be the book just inserted that without checking sources.... so yeah.
Please, MAKE, THIS, A, SERIES!!!
+Lasher Brunswick Good news: it is.
@@FredrikKnudsen this aged like milk
@@swordsaintbrie :(
HOLY SHIT, THAT ANIMATION AND POLISH THOUGH!
I'm so happy youre putting this much polish and effort on your videos! It feels like a tv show and I love watching the heck out of this already
Congratulations on being the only youtuber in this genre to not have a over-flattering bishounen avatar, and just having one that looks like you
What an odd thing to say
The new style is really slick! Kudos to Ben on the Mike Mignola animations that really flesh out your storytelling!
I, for one, wish you had kept-on with this series. You narrate well, obviously, and the animation is excellent. Good stuff!
Anyway, I hope you don't delete the two "Grimms Archives" episodes, they're keepers.
Do one on the Yeti,Bigfoot,etc or maybe a lesser known mystical creature like the Giant Iron Wolf of Lithuania
I really like these Eastern European Monsters, really unique and nothing like it in the west
We rarely speak about slavic "demons", but they are some of most interesing ones
I enjoyed this episode, can't wait for the next one!
That opening was rad man. Love your videos keep up the work!
From what I believe, Baba Yaga is linked with Morana/Marzanna, Baltic Goddess of winter, death, time (also low magic, witchery...anything "evil"). She's very similar to the Hindu goddess Kali, and Morgana, Celtic triune goddess of death, or even female lunar association like Hecate.
In essence, she's the "dark" form of the Mother Goddess. But her pagan roots are mixed with Slavic traditions in spell casting, and season ritual. The little information detailing her origins is the result of the Eastern/Slav oral tradition, and very limited writing and recording.
She never depicted as goddess of some sort, just creepy supernatural woman, who lives deep in the forest. It's never implied, that there is only one Yaga out there. For me she is like corrupted insane witch, who hides in the forest. I want to put emphasis on "corrupted", since it's normal to have a regular "witch" in a village in Russia (they never called "witches", thou, an i can't recall how they called properly, maybe just "babka" (old woman) + personal name), i even visited one myself when i was around of age of six, or so, because my grandparents was from small village. As far as i know it is believed, that their supernatural abilities to heal, to curse, to see things and to transform to animals is unwanted and some kind of a toll, and they must never use them to benefit themselves (they decline any payment for their help). And when witch is about to die she must pass her abilities to another woman, or else she cannot die for weeks in great suffering. This may sound as old folklore, but in a not so deep corners of Russia this traditions is alive and actually practiced.
I read a varity of ressources claiming the possibilty. Teleporting, using overworldy powers etc. Why do people water being likes her down to a modern version of witch. She has far more to offer not to mention her similarities to those goddesses. The chicken legs may jusst be an translation error for fog which is often used to describe a place being the border of life and death. Whatever you read about witches though, don't see at as canon because it is not. It is just a regional believe.
I had the biggest smile on my face when I saw this pop up. I've been working on a project in which Baba Yaga has a pivotal role in, this will be amazing reference material.
AtticWarrior1994 if you want some more material, I once read a book inspired by Russian and Slavic folklore with Baba Yaga as one the main supporting characters
It was called Egg and Spoon, and I found the writer to excellently portray how Baba may speak, look, act, move etc alongside detail to Russian stories.
Fun fact: The Crones of Crookback Bog from The Witcher 3 are based off of the Baba Yaga. Being older than the bog itself and eating orphan or wayward children that fall into their domain. They are also ambivalent to the people dwelling in their swamp, sometimes giving aid in return for children or ears but caring little about their lives beyond what they can gain in return.
The Quest for glory series version of Baba Yaga is my favorite interpenetration of her.
In almost every culture, there is an archetype of an elderly woman who is both wise and cruel, depending on who you ask. She represents the crone, the woman who is no longer of child-bearing age, and is the bearer of secret knowledge - she is healer, prophet, historian - a matriarch figure who links past and present to the future. In pagan cultures, the role of the priest is often given to women or a person of no-gender (or a third gender, with both female/male characteristics) because the woman has the biological means of reproduction and was seen as having magical powers while a third gender person is regarded as being of neither earthbound or skybound and as such could act as an intermediary between earth and heaven. With the arrival of Judaeochristian beliefs, however, many pagan belief systems were demonised and pagan priestesses were painted as witches with evil powers and intentions. Many of them retreated into solitary forest dwellings to escape persecution - and thus became crones of the forest, of untold magical powers, preying on the innocence of little children, devourers of men. You must read Clarissa Pinkola Estes's "Women Who Run With The Wolves" to understand how many of these folktales that have come down to us conceal a history of the persecution of feminine cults by patriarchal cults.
Lol what?
I remember those cozy winters in which my grandma would read slavic folklore tales to me. I loved it!
Wow, I dont remember Howl's moving castle being this dark
It plays in a world with a great war, so .....
You're really filling that "in depth look at weird shit"-shaped hole in my viewing habits.
First time I ever heard of Baba Yaga was in Sandman, she appeared in a story where a young man named Vassily ran away from his home, pursuing adventure
I first heard of Baba Yaga when playing the original "Hero's Quest / Quest for Glory" by Sierra. VIVID memories of the chicken-leg hut and the dangerous witch inside. Tremendous video here, Fredrik!
An absolutely enjoyable analysis of a classic character of folklore. I am very impressed with both your research and presentation. I shall be happily expecting more to come. I hope that you will cover something from Ireland in the future.
Very good quality! You've got me hooked man. All of your content is interesting and well made, keep up the good work.
We used to tell my daughter that Baba Yaga lived in the cliffs where we went camping.
The production quality here is off the charts!
Interesting to realize Yubaba from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away is a reference to Baba Yaga.
Similar name, similar appearance. Her sister lives in a swampy forest.
Meanwhile, Howl inherited her hut, chicken legs included.
8:11 - these doorless and windowless huts on props are not only storages, that's also how they bury shamans deep in the woods. Seems to me the latter is more logical prototype for Yaga's hut.
A series based on slightly obscure folklore legends? Oh Fredrik, you do spoil us. Love the art as well, reminds me a lot of MIke Mignola. Super hyped for a potential episode on Spring-heeled Jack.
I could listen to you speaking for hours. Your narration and scripts are amazing. Also really liked the visuals on this video
Damn, I just realised how little I know about my nation's folklore. Great video, it seems that it's going to be a series. Can't wait to see more!
So well done!!
You've really went above and made some immensely high quality content, I'm as impressed as ever. Wanted to say that the animation and artwork really lends itself to your style of exposition. Thanks for the content, looking forward to more Fredrik!
holy fuck finally you made a video about her, i grew up with tales like this
Awesome essay. I have learned so much from this video even though I come from a Slavic country.
PS: "Jezibaba" (as we call her in Czech republic) is pronounced "Yejibaba". I laughed my ass off when you said "Jazzy Baba". Now I can't get the image of an old hag playing saxophone out of my head.
Great analysis as always Fredrick. Probably the best channel to go to, to learn something new and intrigued. Love it. Keep it up.
Great movement of the pictures at an exhibition orchestral piece
There is a game Dominions 5, and there is a nation in it named Rus. And in that nation you have Baba Yaga as a hero character that can show up whenever she pleases. And she's a real boon when she does, because with the spread of orthodox chirch people apparently forget how to magic and she's your nation's only access to a whole bunch of usefull unique summons.
Russian here
You got everything rather correct, maybe except the name and what not mentioned by others, but at the start the only thing which bothered me was the design of the hut at the start, as the traditional houses have a more rectangular design.
Otherwise good job and keep up the awesome work!!
I LOVE THIS SERIES, And this episode hit home sincd im slavic. Love this channel, such high quality content!
God i wish there were more of these
The animations make this even better.
This is awesome Fredrik! ! It looks great. Keep it up man I'm sure the popularity of this style of video will increase as word spreads about it. I found this after the rabbit hole series I'm sure many more will in time. Love it!
Make one for Krampus, the Boogie-man, drakula, Father Winter and the Grimm Reaper!
The Bogeyman would be interesting, but also complicated, due to the fact that a. the actual character of the Bogeyman varies wildly from region to region of England and America, and b. that basically EVERY SINGLE CULTURE ON EARTH has some kind of bogeyman or devil concocted to scare children into good behaviour.
The amount of things Mr Knudsen could do with this series is immense, owing to how many myths, legends, sagas, fairy tales, conspiracy theories, urban legends, etc. that're out there which could be used for material.
Please leave dracula out of this, just read the book. I'm tired of every tourist coming to my city asking me about him.
i read the book, but the legend of the vampire overall is much older!
It's just german pamphlets talking about an insane ruler in Wallachia known for impaling turks.
Such a damn shame this series didn't get the same amount of views as down the rabbit hole, would've liked to see a lot more of these..
I heard of Baba Yaga in a 1997 movie called "Lawn Dogs" starring an 11-year-old Mischa Barton, Sam Rockwell, Kathleen Quinlan, Christopher McDonald, and David Barry Gray. I thought they invented Baba Yaga just for the movie, was thrilled to learn it was real Russian folklore. Some really good acting in the movie, even some cool Baba Yaga special effects at the end. Catch it if you can.
Great video. I hope you do lore on lesser known creatures or from different countries. Nixies, Kelpies, or ones from Asia. The "manananggal" is a woman which detaches from her lower half at night and uses her tongue to eat the unborn child of a pregnant woman.
Please do more on slavic folklore, it's an immensely un-talked-about field of mythology and your method of presentation is extremely informative.
Baba Yaga isn't relaly Russian, more generally Slavic, she's a staple of Polish legends as well.
And the hut is more often depicted with one leg here.
Russia was created by Ukrainian lords on refugee when Poland take over Ukraine, and most of russian genom is North Asian not Slavic. Baba Jaga was created in praslavic lands of, notrh western Ukraine, eastern Poland, and souther Belarus and spread with migration of our tribrs that's why she is known in all of Slavic countrys, and countrys influenced by Slavs like Hungary, Romania, Moldavia, Grece, Germany and others. Also What legend of baba Jaga is in your region, in southern Podlasie in Poland we have Baba Jaga whom live in a House on one chicken leg, and she sits in a was sitting in his chimney and firing her broomstick with thunderbolts at grownups and she tempted the children with sweet bread rolls on the path to her home.
@@AverageJoe8686I do not mean ancient Greeks only medieval and modern. Slavic "antiquity" happened in the early Middle Ages (~IV-IX century). I'm not turbo-Lechit ;)
@@10hawell Russian genome is North Asian? I'd suggest you do a google search on Russian haplogroup.
I'm very excited to watch further episodes of this. I find them just as fascinating as yer usual rabbit holes.
good video. love the artwork.
i love where your channle is going keep it up, your on your way to a gold mine
The most recent Hellboy has an amazing depiction of Baba Yaga. Super accurate historically, while also being extremely well executed with CGI.
8:08-8:44: As I am looking at this hut, I seriously could not stop thinking about Donkey Kong's treehouse. Especially when Baba Yaga's hut is to keep outsiders out, and stay on a high place for safety. Maybe DK got some inspiration from this or he just wanted a really cool treehouse or both.
I can't be the only one that found this while looking up slaughter to prevail songs
This needs more views and likes. Master level video. Keep it up, proud of you
I remember reading the story with the two children as a child and being quite scared. Was interesting to learn the background of it as it's a vivid memory
I don't know but the time or times i heard of her before was Discovery Channel Monster Quest and Bartalk the Magnificent
I think she is the character of night horrors. I have had it happen a couple times. She lies across your chrest and you cant breathe or call out. If lucky you will survive. If not you will have a heart attack. This is how people die in tehri sleep. Sheer horror.
Your stuff keeps getting better and better. Keep it up.
Oh damn, this made reminded of Bartok the magnificent.
So much effort put in these videos yet so few views. You deserve more.
Best video yet Frederick! Keep this up and you'll get huge.
So I went over to the original channel, and there was only the trailer there. I wish we got more Grimm Archives. Just the idea of a whole library full of these things sounds wicked cool.
This series has some serious promise. Great work!
Ugh, the animation is amazing, I come back to this vid sometimes just to see it jfc.
I loved the Mike Mignola style animation and illustration.
Uh-oh, does Benjamin have ulterior motives...?
The animation is really well done, would love to see more!
In polish version of "Hansel and Gretel", the evil witch is called Baba Yaga. know that witch from this fairytale lives in a gingerbread house, not in a walking hut, but thats what it is. I remember having a little plastic toy of Baba Yaga carrying a big potato sack on her back. The toy had wheels and while it "walked" on those wheels, something in this sack was moving. After I got that toy, parents told me that if I won't behave, she will kidnap me and throw into her sack to other lids and then she will eat us
I love the Hellboy style art and your narration. Keep up the great work!
Very cool. I didn't know of the folklore directly, but the name sounded familiar. Turns out I had bumped into it without thought via Konami's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, where a witch character named Baba Yaga plays a role in the story pretty far into the game.
I once saw him kill three men in a bar... with a pencil, with a fucking pencil!
Oh this was wonderfully spooky and well put together! Cant wait for moreeeee!
This channels gonna take off for sure, good luck my dude
Great animation! This looks like an awesome start to a series!
Heard about this at the podcast Tanis; so excited for the new series.
I love this series! May I suggest doing one on the Kelpie? I feel like it might be interesting
I think Baba Yaga has a lot in common with Odin.
He was referred as "Allfather" and practiced magic (which was considered something a woman would do).
He was also a trickster god with ambiguous intentions: he often preferred to have the best warrior to die in battle in order to bring them to his halls.
He also led the Wyld Hunt, in which he rode his 8 legged horse Sleipnir, guiding the soul of the dead during the night.
This is an interesting new series Frederick, great work as always! I would like to make a suggestion on La Llorona, an Mexican urban legend I have grew up with.
Wait, wait, WAIT your going to talk about Springheel Jack? Oh my god I honestly can't wait, he's one of my favorite mythical...people? Well whatever he is, I just love the idea of his appearance if I'm being honest. Really its one of the reason I love the guy so much.
We have a version of Baba Yaga in Croatia but we call her Babaroga (Baba being either an infintile or derogatory term for a grandmother and Rog meaning horn - maybe suggesting her connection to something demonic) I have ran into an explanation that Yaga means "wicked" in the old slavic languages. She is mostly a parenting tool and is somewhat blurred together with the Hansel and Gretel in modern times.