d again. But he had a daughter by the first
marriage, a young girl, and she found no favor in the eyes of
her evil stepmother, who used to beat her, and consider how she
could get her killed outright. One day the father went away
somewhere or other, so the stepmother said to the girl, "Go to
your aunt, my sister, and ask her for a needle and thread to make
you a shift."

Now that aunt was a Baba Yaga. Well, the girl was no fool,
so she went to a real aunt of hers first, and says she:

"Good morning, auntie!"

"Good morning, my dear! what have you come for?"

"Mother has sent me to her sister, to ask for a needle and
thread to make me a shift."

Then her aunt instructed her what to do. "There is a birch-tree
there, niece, which would hit you in the eye--you must tie
a ribbon round it; there are doors which would creak and bang--you
must pour oil on their hinges; there are dogs which would
tear you in pieces--you must throw them these rolls; there is a
cat which would scratch your eyes out--you must give it a piece
of bacon."

So the girl went away, and walked and walked, till she came
to the place. There stood a hut, and in it sat weaving the Baba
Yaga, the Bony-shanks.

"Good morning, auntie," says the girl.

"Good morning, my dear," replies the Baba Yaga.

"Mother has sent me to ask you for a needle and thread to
make me a shift."

"Very well; sit down and weave a little in the meantime."

So the girl sat down behind the loom, and the Baba Yaga
went outside, and said to her servant-maid:

"Go and heat the bath, and get my niece washed; and mind
you look sharp after her. I want to breakfast off her."

Well, the girl sat there in such a fright that she was as much
dead as alive. Presently she spoke imploringly to the servant-maid,
saying:

"Kinswoman dear, do please wet the firewood instead of
making it burn; and fetch the water for the bath in a sieve."
And she made her a present of a handkerchief.

The Baba Yaga waited awhile; then she came to the window
and asked:

"Are you weaving, niece? are you weaving, my dear?"

"Oh yes, dear aunt, I'm weaving." So the Baba Yaga went
away again, and the girl gave the Cat a piece of bacon, and
asked:

"Is there no way of escaping from here?"

"Here's a comb for you and a towel," said the Cat; "take
them, and be off. The Baba Yaga will pursue you, but you must