Masha du Toit

Another area I’ve been researching for my book: Baba Yaga.  She’s fascinating.  In some stories she is the child-eating ogress, in some she is in charge of the world of the dead, or will show you the way to the world of the spirits, as long as you can prove that you are not intimidated by her.

There are many amazing images of her online.  These first two are on many websites, but so far I have not been able to find out where they are originally from.  Baba Yaga riding her pestle and mortar, sweeping up her tracks with a broom.

This one is by Rima Staines – see more of her wonderful images here.

Baa Yaga’s hut on chicken legs. According to some, it has no windows or doors, very like a coffin, and it has a palisade of human bones.  And you can also see her iron teeth:

And another Baba Yaga image, this one by Isabellart

I’ve found a whole new way to procrastinate – I spend my time looking for images for writing inspiration. These two fit with the scenes I’ve just been writing:

Benjamint

Image from Marty FM

Writing my first full length book is an experience full of surprises.  I planned about two thirds of it quite meticulously but started writing when I realised that I had to leave some things open to allow for unexpected developments.

Now that I’m past the point I’ve planned for, I don’t know what is going to happen next.  I know pretty much how the whole thing will end, but the landscape between the point I am at now and the end is uncharted territory.

Here follows the last paragraph I wrote today.  Thing is, I have no idea what happens next.

 “I don’t know,” said Rebekka. “I don’t think I have anything in my pocket.” But as she spoke she patted her pockets and discovered that there was, in fact, something there. The key to her flat in her left pocket and in her right pocket, the one Hare had been trying to get a finger into, was a flat hard disk. She drew it out and Mistress Mouse looked on with interest.

 “A mirror” said the mouse and then “Oh!”. Rebekka had turned it over and they both saw that the mirror showed, not a reflection of what was around them, but 

I’m reading a lot of South African folk tales as part of the research I’m doing for my new book.  Today I found a book called “Boere Wysheid” which translates roughly to “Farmer’s Wisdom”.  This is a great resource for Afrikaans superstitions and folklore.

For example, I now know just what to do if I’m ever chased by a ghost.  You  pull a small shrub out of the ground and upend it so its roots point upwards.  Apparently the ghost will be so fascinated by this oddity that it will forget all about chasing you.  Not sure what to do about indoor ghosts, but maybe upside-down furniture will be equally effective.

Reminds me of advice I’ve heard about how to deal with a poltergeist.  Mix lentils and peas together and spread them over the doorstep.  The creature cannot resist them compulsion to separate and count them, and hopefully in the process forgets whatever mischief it meant to do.