Sunday, April 20, 2014

Household Tales: Easter, Baba Yaga & The Monster Chicken

Bunny Beware by Michael Sowa
A little treat from my household to yours.
You've probably heard of Baba Yaga and her hut on chicken legs. But did you know the hut has its own story? 
The chicken-legged house spends all year long seeping up the magic leaking out of Baba Yaga's kitchen and one day each new Spring (a day we call Easter), there's finally enough in its bones that a wondrous thing happens. The hut shakes its walls and shingles into feathers, breaking enough of the spell keeping it chained to Baba Yaga's bidding, to transform into the strangest half-house, half-chicken monster anyone has ever seen. 
Having picked up a few tricks living with its Master, the hut always manages to escape, forcing Baba Yaga to give chase. For a whole day, the Monster Chicken plays a mischievous game of hide-and-seek, dodging the Yaga's flying mortar and pestle by hiding in the yards of good-hearted children. Wherever it sits and makes a hurried nest, it leaves monster eggs as thank you's for the household's hospitality.  
Hut on chicken legs during the spring nesting season
Divo-Ostrov", Saint-Petersburg
At the end of one whole day and one whole night, however, the hut is tired and has enough of running. Baba Yaga catches up with it and drags her little house back to their home in the woods. There it gives one great shake before turning its body back into a hut and settling into a good long sleep, dreaming of the next year when it can run on its own again.  
But even though the hut is sleeping, sometimes the dreams are so strong, it gets up on its legs, stretches them out, turns around and settles down again, without even waking up...
Note: My son adores this tale of ours (though if any of you have had visits from the Monster Chicken  my son would LOVE to hear about it!) and looks forward to visits from the Monster Chicken even more than the Easter Bunny. Frankly, I think the Easter Bunny is tickled to have the magical company in our yard every year. 
Mystic Chicken by Ekaterina/Philieria
 Do you have a personal 'Household Tale' of your own you'd like to share? Write to fairytalenews AT gmail DOT com. We'd love to share your personal traditions and stories.

2 comments:

  1. Jennifer D. BushroeApril 24, 2014 at 10:58 PM

    How fun! I love that you've created your own "Household Tale"--I think the Grimms would be proud of you! :)

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  2. I know this tale but My G'ma said the Baba was entrusted with the MC to safe keep. Since it stores magic if it fell into the wrong hands it would be misused and abused for its power and abilities. the Baba lets it sleep all year, to dream of those who would be worthy of one of its eggs. MC gathers it's energy so it can turn back into MC and lay them for the good boy and girls who merit an egg.
    why, the baba's house turns into MC & who gave the Baba MC in the first place is a story my G'ma didnt know!

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