Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga is a complex and enigmatic character from Slavic folklore, often depicted as a old woman with two opposing roles: a repulsive or ferocious figure who eats children, or a nice old woman who helps the hero. She is associated with forest wildlife and has distinctive traits such as flying around in a wooden mortar, wielding a pestle, and dwelling in a hut standing on chicken legs. The name Baba Yaga is derived from Slavic languages, where "baba" means "grandmother" or "old woman", and "yaga" is more etymologically problematic, potentially linked to Sanskrit "ah" (serpent) or Lithuanian "engti" (to abuse). The first clear reference to Baba Yaga occurs in Mikhail V. Lomonosov's 1755 Russian Grammar, where she is described as a unique figure with distinctive attributes, including a turning, chicken-legged hut, and a mortar, pestle, and/or mop or broom.learn more on wikipedia