Baba Yaga, A Russian Witch!

Today, I have the fun opportunity of going in to my school dressed up as a witch to read, "Bony Legs" for Hallowe'en. The story is a Russian folktale based on the witch, Baba Yaga, who lives in the forest in a hut that stands on chicken feet. She has iron feet and eats little children! She is dressed in a long skirt with an apron and wears a babushka on her head. Of course, I have the whole outfit kept in the dress-up section of my attic, complete with green rubber hands with long gnarly fingers and black nails.

I have an absolute blast doing this! All the kids laugh at my witchy voice and jump out of their skin when Bony Legs yells, "Bah!" as she does unexpectedly a few times. They all have a good chuckle as I turn the pages deftly (and sometimes not so deftly!) with my new fingers! In the storyteller's apron, which my mom made me 26 years ago, are several deep pockets from which I pull out various objects that are featured in the story as they are mentioned. I have a mirror, a comb, a piece of bread, a dog and a cat.

The teachers get a big kick out of me doing this, probably as much as I do. The kids sit quietly and hang off every word. It is such a neat feeling to have them in the palm of my hands, green as they are!

I'll be back to read more stories!

Happy Hallowe'en!

Mother of Invention, already planning my reading of, "Strega Nona"!