Baba Yaga and Her Magic Shoes

mi Her JVlagîc
by Jenia Miller
Illustrated by Chuck Gonzales
In the ¿eep
them to the village.
They swooped to earth and Baba Yaga set out for
tallest and thickest
trees in Russia lived a mean witch
h
the
shoemaker's on foot. She reached the shabby
named Baba Yaga. One day Baba Yaga sat in her
house and knocked on the door. The shoemaker
favorite corner, moping. Poor Stenka the cat tried
hard to please her, but it was no use. At last he asked opened the door, but it was so dark he could hardly
see the figure standing before him.
her what was the matter.
The shoemaker started to light a candle. "Don't do
Baba Yaga told him. "My magic shoes are worn out.
that!" screamed the witch. "For you must not know
They were a birthday gift from my Uncle Bogatir, the
who I am. I've brought you some shoes to be fixed."
seven-headed dragon. But how can I get them fixed?
In the dark. Baba Yaga reached out and gave her
Everybody is afraid of me, and if I go to a shoemaker's
shoes
to the shoemaker. She also gave him a bag of
house he will slam the door in my face."
money. "Here are 10 silver rubles for you," she said.
"I know a shoemaker who lives at the edge of the
village near the cemetery," said Stenka. "If you go to "I will give you more when I come tomorrow at this
same time to get my shoes. You must do your best
his house after dark, no one will see you."
work,
but ask no questions."
So that night at 12 o'clock. Baba Yaga and Stenka
And with that Baba Yaga disappeared.
climbed in the stupka, a magic bowl that holds both of
Before the rooster crowed the next morning, the
them. "Rise, stupka, rise! Take us riding in the skies,"
shoemaker was up and ready to work on the strange
said Baba Yaga, and it rose in the air and carried
8
ÏI
shoes. He told his wife and little girl. Mania, not to
disturb him.
"If you do as I wish and ask no questions," he said,
"I will buy you all a big bag of sunflower seeds to eat
tonight, and we will go to the main street to watch
the peasants sing and dance."
Mania and her dog, Barboska, ran outside to play,
but she kept wondering about her father's mysterious
business. She tried to peek in the window, but the
shoemaker chased her away.
By evening the shoes were finished. The shoemaker
gave them a final polish, then left them standing on his
workbench before going inside to supper.
While they were eating. Mania sat bursting with
curiosity. "Papa, please tell us what you were doing
all day," she cried out.
"I said you were not to ask questions," he shouted
angrily. "For that you will stay home alone and not
go with us tonight to see the dancing."
After everyone had gone, she decided to go see for
herself what had been keeping her father so busy.
With Barboska following her. Mania cautiously
opened the door that led to her father's shop. She
looked all around, and saw a pair of high-buttoned
shoes on the workbench.
"What pretty shoes," thought Mania. "I'll try
them on."
Much to her surprise the shoes fit Mania perfectly.
Of course, she didn't know that the shoes were magic
and would fit anyone. Mania walked all around the
shoemaker's shop in the strange shoes and saw her
father's workbench, which held a few tools. "Poor
Papa," thought the little girl. "I wish he could have
some nice new tools and new leather to work with."
Before she had even finished thinking. Mania felt a
thumping in the shoes. Then, in place of the old tools
appeared a set of new ones. Standing on the floor
was a big sunduk, or chest, full of fine leathers, all
different colors.
"What beautiful leathers!" said Mania. "Now Papa
can make fine shoes for his customers, and perhaps
Mamma and I can have shoes made from real
leather."
Mania bent over the sunduk. "Mamma would love
this green," she thought. "Oh, I wish she could have
some new clothes to go with the shoes."
Again Mania felt the thumping in the magic shoes.
Then appeared a beautiful new dress, a new shawl,
and 10 strings of beads. Mania became frightened.
10
"Oh, Barboska," she cried. "What is happening?"
Mania heard footsteps coming toward the house.
"It is Mamma and Papa," she said. She ran out of the
shop and into the living quarters of the house. She
jumped into her bed and pulled up the covers to hide
her dress and the shoes. As the shoemaker entered
the house, he told his wife goodnight and sat down
to wait for the person who owned the strange shoes.
As the clock struck midnight, the shoemaker heard
a knocking on the window. "Just a moment," he
called, and went to get the shoes, but they were gone.
Instead he saw a set of new tools, the chest of fine
leathers, a new dress, a new shawl, and beads!
The knocking grew louder. At last, the shoemaker
opened the door.
"Where are my shoes?" demanded Baba Yaga.
The shoemaker fell to his knees. "I left them on my
workbench, and now they are gone!"
Baba Yaga screamed and shrieked. The long black
shawl she wore on her head fell from her face, and
the shoemaker saw that it was Baba Yaga. He became
more frightened than ever.
"You shall suffer for this," cried Baba Yaga, raising "Look, look!" cried Mania. In his mouth he carried
her broom.
the lost shoes.
The poor shoemaker buried his face in his hands.
As the dog ran out of the house, he brushed against
"I'll find the shoes," he promised. "Give me until
Baba Yaga. She turned and saw the frightened dog
tomorrow night and I will have them for you."
running with her shoes. Baba Yaga ran after him.
"Very well," agreed Baba Yaga. "FU give you until Barboska opened his mouth to howl and the magic
tomorrow at this same hour. But if you don't have
shoes fell to the ground! Baba Yaga stooped down,
my shoes ready for me then, I'll sweep your house,
snatched up the shoes, and ran as fast as the wind to
and everything that is yours, to dust." And with a
Stenka and her flying stupka. "Rise, stupka, rise! Take
howl of rage, the witch disappeared.
us riding in the skies!" cried Baba Yaga.
All night Mania lay wide awake waiting for a
The shoes were not damaged, and as they were
chance to return the magic shoes to the workshop.
flying away. Baba Yaga buttoned them up and began
Just before dawn. Mania got up, tiptoed to the
to feel better. "Well, that's that," she said. "It's a lot of
workshop, and put back the shoes.
trouble being a witch."
When morning came the shoes had vanished
The flying stupka took Baba Yaga and Stenka back
again! All day Mania helped her father hunt for
to their home. As for the shoemaker, his wife, and
them. Promptly at 12 o'clock that night. Baba Yaga
little Mania, they might have thought the whole thing
knocked at the shoemaker's shop. When he opened
a bad dream had it not been for the new dress, the
the door, the witch knew from his face that the
shawl, 10 strings of beads, the new set of tools, and
magic shoes had not been found. With a cry of rage
the sunduk full of fine colored leathers, a
Baba Yaga raised her broom over her head. Swoosh!
Every timber in the shoemaker's house groaned and
creaked. "Have mercy on me and my poor family,"
Want more Baba Yaga stories? Check out the
cried the shoemaker.
next issue of Jack and Jill for another magical
At the moment, Barboska, who had not been seen
adventure with Baba Yaga and Stenka the cat!
all day, came scurrying out from under Mania's bed.
11
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