By Roberta Attanasio Somewhere in eastern Europe, where the winters are cold and long, there is a very dark, foreboding forest. If you’re brave or foolish enough to wander through the towering trees, you might encounter Baba Yaga. She is a mythical creature, a wild old woman omnipresent in Slavic folklore, a nature-deity, a quintessential fairytale pagan hero who plays roles of earth mother and death guardian. She’s therefore ambiguous, and can be at the same time awful and full of awe. She is also a transcultural figure, appreciated all around the world—there are restaurants named Baba Yaga across continents, from Houston, Texas, to Tel Aviv, Israel; from Cleveland, Ohio,…