We have all heard of Baba Yaga at some point — in art, literature, even gaming. But Russian lore talks about a lot of interesting witches and sorcerers, about going on life-changing quests and completing impossible tasks. However today we will be looking at one in particular — a certain immortal sorcerer who murdered a prince over and over again until he was defeated. I am, of course, talking about Ivan and Koschei the Deathless.
Their story begins with Ivan’s parent’s death. Ivan’s sisters marry wizards disguised as birds and, after discovering how lonely it is being, well, alone, Ivan sets out to find them. He meets Marya — a warrior woman — along the way whom he marries. However, Marya sets off to war, warning Ivan to not open a specific door. Which, no surprise, he does. Ivan discovers an old, withering man, draped in a dozen chains, begging for water. Ivan brings him barrels of it, which the man uses to revive himself, shedding his disguise, breaking his chains, and revealing himself to be none other than Koschei the deathless. Koschei swears he will kidnap Marya for revenge and disappears, leaving Ivan alone in the now empty room.
This is where the crazy adventure begins. Ivan finds them, saves Marya, only to be caught by Koschei’s faster horses and then murdered. Each time he is killed, however, one of this sisters’ husbands save him until eventually they tell him of a faster horse he can find if he only visits Baba Yaga. So, Ivan sets off to Baba Yaga’s house, survives and passes her three tests, and obtains his incredibly fast horse. He then sets out to save Marya and, eventually, kill Koschei the Deathless once and for all.
Their story is one of adventure, death, and impossible tasks. Koschei the deathless could not defeat Ivan in the end, despite being all-powerful and immortal. And though he was defeated in the end, he will live on in stories as the evil sorcerer, waiting to send the young hero on his quest of self discovery.
For more reading on Ivan and Koschei the Deathless (sources):
https://www.slavorum.org/koshchei-the-deathless-legend-of-immortal-slavic-villain/
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/slavic-legend-immortality-koschei-deathless-002717
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZdhJ9e8NzQ
According to Canaanite beliefs, the changing of the seasons happened after Baal — the god of storms — defeated the god of the sea to become king of the gods. Baal thought himself to be above all, and so he ordered that Mot, the god of the dead, was to not set foot anywhere on the earth except for the desert. Mot, forced to wander the desert, turns around and invites Baal to the Netherworld for a “visit.” Baal is, in turn, forced to go in order to save face as the new ruler of the gods, however when he gets there, Mot tricks him into eating the food of the dead: mud. Thus, Baal is trapped in the underworld and the world dries up into an eternal summer — 
Our second myth today is a funny one, since many versions of this myth exist and they all contradict each other. The beginning is usually the same: either Frigga (Baldur’s mother), Odin (Baldur’s father), and Baldur himself begin to suffer from nightmares about Baldur’s death. Frigga goes around and has every living and non-living thing swear that no harm will come to Baldur — with the exception of mistletoe. The other gods make a game of throwing things at Baldur and watching them bounce off harmlessly until Loki convinces a blind Hodr (in some versions of this myth, he is Baldur’s brother) to throw a spear that Loki guides. This spear is made of mistletoe, and when it pierces Baldur’s chest, he drops down dead.
This is where the myth changes. In some versions, both Hodr and Baldur die — Hodr being killed for murdering his brother. In these pre-Christian versions, Frigga begs Hel to release them and they are allowed out — separately — for half of the year only. Hodr, because he is blind, is associated with darkness and explains the winter seasons while Baldur was described as a god of light and therefore was the other half of the year — summer and spring. Other post-Christian versions of this myth tie Baldur to Christ in that he will only rise once more after Ragnarök, returning from the land of the dead. However, these post-Christian versions also depict Baldur as being passive as objects are thrown at him while pre-Christian versions show him as being battle-ready at all times.
Registration is open for the second Spring section of 
When talking about the changes in season, the Greeks looked to the gods and their troubles which affected the mortal world. The story of Hades and Persephone explains these changes as Demeter’s mood swings — Demeter being the mother of Persephone, the Goddess of Spring. A quick look at this myth has Hades kidnapping Persephone, and Demeter — the Goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture — begging Zeus to give her her daughter back as she fails in her duties. Persephone of course eats three pomegranate seeds before Zeus can interfere, which forces him to decide that for half of a year she is to be with her mother while the other half she is forced to return to Hades. During the times Persephone is gone, Demeter becomes inconsolable, neglecting her duties and letting the world around her wither and die. However, when Persephone is returned, Demeter jumps back into action, revitalizing the land.
Following in the same fashion, the Chinese myth of Zhu Long the Candle Dragon explains not only one, but all the seasons, as well as the changes in night and day. You see, Zhu Long — or Zhu Yin — was a huge, scaly, red dragon that was shaped like a serpent and had a human head. According to myth, one of his eyes represented the sun while the other the moon, and when they were open it was daytime, while at night his eyes were closed. In his mouth he holds a candle that lights the gate of heaven, and his breath is what changes the seasons. You see, when Zhu Long exhales he casts winter across the land, but when he inhales he brings summer.
We often see retellings of popular fairy tales, from Snow White to Sleeping Beauty. But what about the others — the lesser known tales? We’ve seen a few movies and books tackle them, often casting them as side characters such as Pinocchio and Rumpelstiltskin. Today, however, we will be taking a look at a more obscure tale, one that many Shrek fans would be vaguely familiar with. His name? Puss In Boots.
The first painting we are looking at today is known as the 
Stoneham, the painting depicts a young boy standing in front of a window, a doll in the shape of a young girl beside him, with what appears to be clawing hands pawing at the glass of the window trying to get to the boy. Originally painted as a way for the artist to deal with his adoption, the painting hung in an art gallery until it was sold in 1974. However, ten years after this purchase, the buyer, the owner of the gallery, and an art critic who had written an article about the painting, all died. That is not the end of the story, however. Eventually, the painting resurfaced. On eBay. The terrified seller claims that the figures in the art come to life at night, while some people who view it claim to have physical illnesses or even blackouts. Though there is no need to fear, for the painting was eventually bought by another art gallery where they keep it locked away.
There are Winter Witches and Snow Queens that litter folklore and mythology — from giant ogresses to hags who eat children. The more you look through them, the more you notice a pattern of death and cannibalism. However, there is one wintry figure who is neither, who brings sake to weary and cold travelers. Her name is Oshiroi Baba.