| Lenny H |
I'm from Russia. In russian "baba" means adult woman or grandmother. It is not a negative word. It's a very simple word.
We don's say "deda mraz", we call him "Ded Moroz". "Ded" means "old man" or "grandfather". "Moroz" means "frost".
Well... Mraz' - is something very different in russian language. It means "scum". It is a really insulting word.
Ded Moroz had several prototypes. One is saint Nicholas, archbishop and a miracle man, who was the prototype of Santa Claus also. The others Ded Moroz prototypes are very old pagan russian gods Pozvizd, Zimnik and Korochun.
Baba Yaga and Ded Moroz are very famous in Russia, ALL people know about them. Children are growing up reading folklore tales about Baba Yaga. She and Ded Moroz are as well-known in Russia as Simpsons or Santa Claus in America.
The full title is truly Baba Yaga Kostianaya Noga: "Grandmother (or woman) Yaga Boneylegs." There also exists lots of modern fantasy novels based on russian mythology about Baba Yaga. I was very surprised to find this old witch in D&D. I thought that only russians know about this uncharming cannibalistic person (and LOVE to write wonderful satire on her! Oh yeah!).
I'm a D&D novice.
Please, maybe someone can tell me or e-mail me (lenny22@yahoo.co.uk): were there any other borrowings from Slav mythology in D&D?
And who actually put Baba Yaga in D&D universe?