Baba Yaga and the Berries – A Tale of Greed and Retribution

Summary

The fairy tale is about how Baba Yaga, in her greed for berries, lost everything, while a clever little girl defeated the wicked witch.

The Fairy Tale

In a faraway kingdom, in the midst of a dense forest, not far from a small village, lay an old, dark grove. This forest was full of mushrooms and berries, but the villagers rarely got to enjoy its riches. Deep in the forest lived the evil witch Baba Yaga, who disliked outsiders and was extremely greedy. She didn’t allow anyone to come near the berries and often lured people into swamps to trap them.

One day, in the height of summer, when the strawberries were especially sweet, Baba Yaga decided she absolutely must have some. But the trouble was, the berries were hidden beneath the leaves, and she couldn't gather them. Baba Yaga grumbled and fumed, trying to find even a single berry, but they seemed to disappear just out of her reach.

Meanwhile, in the same forest, a little girl was out picking berries for herself. She had left the house early in the morning with a basket, hoping to enjoy the sweet fruits and get a little snack. The berries, seeing the girl, practically jumped into her basket.

Soon the basket was full, and the girl was about to head home. But suddenly, Baba Yaga appeared in her path. The witch immediately grabbed the girl's basket and hissed:

“What, have you picked all my berries? Where are my berries?”

Without waiting for an answer, she snatched the basket from the girl’s hands and, pleased with her victory, headed toward her hut.

The girl sat down on a stump, sighed sadly, and began to cry from the unfairness of it all. At that moment, she heard a strange rustling in the grass:

“Don’t cry, dear! Prepare a handkerchief, and everything will be alright!”

Surprised, the girl looked around, then took off her headscarf, spread it out on the ground, and suddenly, berries began to appear in it. Sliding off the leaves, they jumped right into her handkerchief. The girl quickly tied a knot and happily ran home, unable to stop smiling.

Baba Yaga, satisfied with her spoils, returned to her hut. But when she opened the basket, she found that there were no berries, only a faint smell of sweetness remained. The witch stared at the empty basket in horror and cursed angrily:

“What sort of curse is this! Where are my berries?”

In her rage, Baba Yaga threw the basket away, and she trembled so violently that her hut began to fall apart. She stomped her feet and screamed in fury:

“A-a-a! May you have neither bottom nor roof!”

And at that moment, the unbelievable happened: her hut cracked and crumbled into dust, and in its place, a swamp appeared. Around it, thick bushes grew, all covered with strawberries. From that day on, the children from the village came there every year to feast on the sweet berries.

Moral

The fairy tale teaches us that greed and anger lead to nothing good. When we act unfairly, we risk losing not only what we want but everything that is dear to us. True wealth lies in generosity and kindness.

Questions about the fairy tale

• Why did Baba Yaga decide so quickly to take all the berries?
• How did the girl manage to outwit Baba Yaga?
• What did Baba Yaga lose when her anger caused her hut to collapse?
• What lesson can we learn from this fairy tale?