"In Russian folklore there are many stories of Baba Yaga, the fearsome witch with iron teeth.
She travels perched in a large mortar with her knees almost touching her chin, and pushes herself across the forest floor with a pestle.
Baba Yaga lives in a hut deep in the forest. Her hut seems to have a personality of its own and can move about on its extra-large hen legs. Usually the hut is either spinning around as it moves through the forest or stands at rest with its back to the visitor. The windows of the hut seem to serve as eyes.
All the while it is spinning round, it emits blood-curdling screeches and will only come to a halt, amid much creaking and groaning, when a secret incantation is said. When it stops, it turns to face the visitor and lowers itself down on its hen legs, throwing open the door with a loud crash.
The hut is sometimes surrounded by a fence made of bones, and is topped with skulls whose blazing eye sockets illuminate the darkness.
When a visitor enters her hut, Baba Yaga asks them whether they came of their own free will, or whether they were sent.
She appears to have no power over the pure of heart, such as Vasilisa and those of us who are 'blessed.'
www.oldrussia.net/baba.html