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Wild Baba
Dika baba is a gloomy creature of Ukrainian demonology, which is associated with wild nature and its unpredictable power. She is depicted as an old, inhospitable woman with disheveled hair reminiscent of thick undergrowth and coarse facial features. Dressed in rags or wrapped in moss, grasses, and branches, her skin resembles the cracked bark of a tree, and her eyes shine with a wild, almost beastly luster.
The wild woman lives in the depths of the forest or in abandoned places, where she acts as the mistress of wild nature, able to control forest animals and the elements. Her appearance causes an instant change in the atmosphere of the forest: an unnatural silence sets in, as if all the animals and birds suddenly fell silent. The air becomes heavy and it seems as if even the leaves on the trees have stopped moving. This feeling increases anxiety, as if the forest itself has held its breath in the presence of something frightening and invisible.
It was believed that a wild woman can lure a person into the thick of the forest, confuse the paths and make him wander, causing a feeling of fear and anxiety. It can become dangerous for those who disturb the order in its possessions or harm nature, causing illness or even physical harm. In some legends, she kidnaps unbaptized babies, taking them to the forest. Instead, it leaves behind its own children - children who look like humans, but do not grow well, are constantly irritable and have restless behavior.
A wild woman can summon sudden elements, storms or strong winds, and her laugh resembles the sound of wind in the trees or a wild scream. To protect against it, people avoided noise in the forest, did not break branches unnecessarily and did not leave garbage. Small gifts, such as berries, bread or milk, were left to fertilize the wild woman. In order to prevent child abduction, they tried to quickly baptize babies, placed garlic, holy water or a knife near the cradle, and painted crosses over doors and windows.
The wild woman lives in the depths of the forest or in abandoned places, where she acts as the mistress of wild nature, able to control forest animals and the elements. Her appearance causes an instant change in the atmosphere of the forest: an unnatural silence sets in, as if all the animals and birds suddenly fell silent. The air becomes heavy and it seems as if even the leaves on the trees have stopped moving. This feeling increases anxiety, as if the forest itself has held its breath in the presence of something frightening and invisible.
It was believed that a wild woman can lure a person into the thick of the forest, confuse the paths and make him wander, causing a feeling of fear and anxiety. It can become dangerous for those who disturb the order in its possessions or harm nature, causing illness or even physical harm. In some legends, she kidnaps unbaptized babies, taking them to the forest. Instead, it leaves behind its own children - children who look like humans, but do not grow well, are constantly irritable and have restless behavior.
A wild woman can summon sudden elements, storms or strong winds, and her laugh resembles the sound of wind in the trees or a wild scream. To protect against it, people avoided noise in the forest, did not break branches unnecessarily and did not leave garbage. Small gifts, such as berries, bread or milk, were left to fertilize the wild woman. In order to prevent child abduction, they tried to quickly baptize babies, placed garlic, holy water or a knife near the cradle, and painted crosses over doors and windows.