At the edge of a gloomy looking forest there is a sign. It is a small wooden sign aged by time. Whatever it once said has been covered up by moss. All one can make out in the mess is ‘el and ‘ga. If you are brave and perhaps a tad foolish, you’ll ignore the sign completely. Venture forth into the woods where bird song is scarce. Animals fear to roam or make home here. Do you see movement out of the corner of your eye? Pretend it is a harmless animal. Whatever it takes to calm your beating heart. It won’t harm you as long as you don’t scream. You can turn around here thinking yourself brave. If you are as foolish as you look, perhaps venture a tad further in and see something magnificent. The tall trees may loom over you, the branches coming down like spider’s fingers. Do not be alarmed. They are mostly dead which makes them quite harmless. If you made it this far you are quite foolish but somewhat brave. When you hear the crowing of a crow move aside into the under bushes. They will trample you in order to pass. Three riders on horses made of skeleton bones shall race past. One is the color of the day. Sometimes white. Most times pink or a light purple. If he appears red, take heed. Run. The next will be blazing gold like the sun. Cover your eyes for the sight of them is too much. It is said those who gaze upon them too long will lose their sight. Last comes the one dressed in black. Watch her closely as she passes. Held high her sword will gleam and wane like the waxing moon. Her cloak billows behind her sheer and filled with glittering lights.

I will warn you one last time. You can turn now content for few living souls have seen these riders. Or you could continue to the clearing just up ahead and see something no one else can claim. Be warned further in the light shall fade. The road ahead is shroud in darkness. Do not fear for the path is illuminated by long spikes each adjourned with a flaming skull. Follow the path until the clearing is revealed. The clearing is marked by a fence made of yellowish bones. Some are whole. Others are broken away. They are held together by strains of hair and tendons. Multiple colors to bring about some cheer. Past this you shall see a lovely sight. A large cottage made of black wood. The shutters and doorway are perfectly carved with the heads of chickens and roosters. Tapestries of lovely shades of red and blue hung in the doorway and windows blocking out the view inside. A good thing for the inhabitant won’t see you coming. The straw roof is a grayish black that offsets the stone chimney on top. The most stunning things about the house is the two long chicken legs on either side. The black feathers gleam in the sunlight. The long legs are curled into the feathers. If you look closely you can see the long talons poking out. If you are wise, you will show me shower me with complaints. My beloved Baba does on occasion. I would advise to not go inside. My dear Baba hates uninvited visitors. If you truly cannot live without gazing on the Magnificat that is Baba Yaga then be clever. Come around me carefully and watch out for the herb garden by my left leg. If you are foolish and perhaps a tad brave why come to my window. If you are not tall enough to see; over by the herb garden there is an empty flower pot. Do not trod upon the mandrakes though. They make such noises when disturbed and Baba will have such a fit. Here let me lift the tapestry away a bit. Isn’t it a lovely shade? Or so I've been told. Now prepare yourself for the greatest witch of all time called Baba Yaga.

If she was in. You’ve come at a bad time I'm afraid. Baba is out hunting a thief that dared trick and steal from her. A terrible idea for a master thief. They would have never gotten away unnoticed. You wouldn’t happen to be that thief would you? No. Ah, my apologies. It is you the foolish listener. I am quite shocked you’ve braved the woods once more. Though not surprised you foolishly made your way back here. Did my story delight you so much? Or perhaps you wanted to gaze upon the magnificent Baba once more? It really doesn’t matter. Nothing will when Baba returns and finds you. She is in a foul mood and has no time to entreat guests. If you must stay then best to hide yourself. When she returns two things might happen. If she has trapped the thief, (and I know she will) she’ll proceed to boil him in a stew. Stew just makes the meat melt off the bones. Or so Baba tells me. I don’t eat so I wouldn’t know. Baba will ignore any outside presence including myself. If you are clever, though I see no signs of that. You shall be able to escape without notice a second time. Now the second thing that might happen. The thief might escape. While unlikely, it could happen only because Baba has lost her nose to HIM. Should the thief be clever he will hide himself away in her woods. If he is brave enough to hide in her woods that is. Still my dear Baba will have a harder time tracking him down. The sun is too bright for her bird like eyes. She is wasting away without having a proper meal in so long. She will have to return here miserable. Her mood will be so foul it will affect everything. The gate’s binding will wither causing the bones to drop. My lovely hair will pluck itself out. Oh and there’s no telling what Baba will surely do to me! Why despite how much I like your company. I would give you over to Baba in order to save myself from her wrath. Trust me dear listener. You do not want to be at the mercy of Baba’s temper. Why a boiling vat of fat would be a better fate. I sense she is coming! Hide or run. Ah, good news for you, dear listener. Her knights Dawn and Dusk are dragging a body behind their horses. Night rides ahead. Her sword glows dimly in the skulls light. Baba is trailing behind all three riding her pestle. A smile cuts like a jagged cliff on Baba gray face. She points her mortar toward my open door. The tapestry pulls back with a whoosh to accept her. The knights throw the thief head first. He lands on the floor with a resounding thud. Nothing painful for me to endure. My lovely Baba seems to be in a wonderful mood. If you are brave and a tad foolish you could take this chance to take a peek inside. Otherwise I shall have to describe the scene.

In the middle of the room is a rather thin man. His short white hair is full of twigs and bits of web. His black cloak rustles. His arms as small as twigs are tied together underneath.

“Why granny, is that any way to treat a guest?”

He asks her. A strange sound comes gurgling out of his throat. I have never heard a sound like this. Baba’s teeth grind in irritation.

“Is this funny to you? Stealing from an old woman?

Baba leapt off the pestle. She pointed her mortar at the middle in the room. The pestle moves and settles on a pile of oak ashes. The ashes light up in blue flames. It licks the outside of the pestle. Baba turns away to gaze down at the thief. The thief takes his cue and brings himself on his knees before her. He bows his head and lowers his forehead to her long jagged toenails. Baba snorts.

“I showered you with my blessing and this is how you repay me? By betraying me?! By stealing from me?!”

Her voice was deadly low. Her nails clicking around the thief and the crackling of the fire are the only noises. The thief lifts his head to look into her dark beady eyes. Such cunning shines behind those big red eyes. When he smiles it is full of white teeth. Dull and round. Baba smiles back all points and sharpness. The way teeth should be.

“I never intended-,”

“Silence!”

She hisses and with a snap his jaw shuts tight. It is not wise to incur her wrath. Why if she were to scream, the thief's ears would burst! It would be quite terrible. For those with ears of course. She curls her hands outwards toward the door tapestry. Six pairs of hands, pink, gold, and black bring it forward. The tapestry engulfs the whole room. It stops short just of the window. The entire tapestry is dyed in the blood of a previous thief. In fine needlepoint a young fox and an older rooster fight. The rooster’s talons are curled upwards. His lush emerald wings are wide open in mid flight. His beak just misses the fox’s ear with a click. The young fox is reckless as he lunges forward. His paws are brushing the soft plumage of the rooster’s chest. His jaw agape and white teeth gleaming against the red background. If you watch for a long time it will seem as if the two are moving. Breathing. Alive.

“Watch,”

Baba whispers. The images are changing now. An old woman and a young boy appear.

“Nalith’s perfect trap for you! A boy with a head full of cunning and watchful eyes. A boy destined for a life of scheming, thieving and magic. All because of his father’s foolish act.”

The images are blurring together and rushing outwards. Be careful dear listener or you will be sucked into the tapestry. This is a trail by magic and once it begins no one can escape till it ends. Ah, but you did not listen to me. I suppose you are the type that prefers a boring trial. Personally I like hearing the retelling of true stories. In fact I shall retell it to myself. This is the true tale about,