George Borrow

“ At length he arrived at a cabin, which having entered he beheld three beautiful damsels sitting at their needle and embroidering with gold, and these were the daughters of Baba Yaga. As soon as they perceived Jack with the Bear’s Ear they said, “Good youth, what has brought you hither? Here lives Baba Yaga, our mother, and as soon as she arrives you are a dead man, for she will slay you to a certainty; but if you will deliver us from this place we will give you information how you may save your life.” ”

“ As she hurries along she draws with her tongue, which is at least three yards long, a mark upon the dust, and with it seizes every living thing coming within her reach, which she swallows for the gratification of her ever-raging appetite. She has several young and handsome daughters whom she keeps in a deep well beneath her izbushka or cabin, which has neither door nor window, and stands upon the wildest part of the steppe upon crow’s feet and is continually turning round. Whenever Baba Yaga meets a person she is in the habit of screaming out ”

“ But as none of his companions had courage enough to do this, Jack with the Bear’s Ear consented to go. So they began to construct a cable, and having made a canoe for him to sit in they let him down into the gulf.
Meanwhile Jack commanded them to wait for him a whole week, and provided during this time they received no intelligence of him to await no longer. “If I be alive and pull the rope draw up the canoe provided it be light; but if it be heavy cut the rope in order that you may not draw up Baba Yaga instead of me.” ”