16 Times "The Witcher" Borrowed from Real-World Mythology

1. Inspired by the Slavic mythological character Baba Yaga – “one of the most memorable and distinctive figures in Eastern European folklore” – the Crones of Crookback Bog are a trio of evil and malicious witches

Known also as the Ladies of the Wood, the Crones are a trio of witches who reside in the swamps of Velen. Making their home in Crookback Bog, the powerful sisters dominate their surroundings, communicating with the outside world predominantly via an enchanted tapestry. Offering both benevolent services as well as inflicting punishment, the Crones successfully compel the nearby villages into cult-like worship of themselves. Adopted from Slavic folklore, the Crones are unquestionably inspired by the prominent supernatural figure of “Baba Yaga“. Represented as either an individual or as one of a trio of sisters all bearing the same name, Baba Yaga is a deformed maternal character commonly depicted as an old woman with the legs of a chicken.

Residing deep within a forest, Baba Yaga is one of the most recurrent figures in Slavic fairy tales. Ambiguous in morality and nature, appearing as both a savior and as a villain, Baba Yaga may elect to either help or hinder those who approach her. First recorded in 1755, various cultural interpretations of Baba Yaga have induced a highly enigmatic and emblematic figure, with modern commentators remaining disputed whether or not she was meant as a didactic lesson concerning the human condition or merely a stock character designed to frighten disobedient children.

Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:

“Once Upon A Time: On the Nature of Fairy Tales”, Max Luthi, Frederick Ungar Publishing Company (1970)

“The Classic Fairy Tales”, Iona Opie and Peter Opie, Oxford University Press (1980)

“The Golem”, Gustav Meyrink, Courier Corporation, (1986)

“The Golem Redux: From Prague to Post-Holocaust Fiction”, Elizabeth R. Baer, Wayne State University (2012)

“The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons”, Manfred Lurker, Routledge Publishing (2004)

“Odysseus, Hero of Practical Intelligence: Deliberations and Signs in Homer’s Odyssey”, J. Barnouw, University Press of America (2004)

“The Odyssey”, Homer translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin Publishing (2006)

“Anatoly Liadov: Kikimora”, Herbert Glass, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (December 28, 2011)

“Medieval Folklore: A Guide to Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs”, Carl Lindahl, John McNamara, and John Lindow, Oxford University Press (2002)

“Phantom Armies of the Night: The Wild Hunt and the Ghost Processions of the Undead”, Claude Lecouteux, Inner Traditions Publishing (2011)

“The Wild Hunt?”, M.M. Banks, Folklore (1944)