More Baba Yaga From "Jack and Jill"

More Ursula Koering illustrations from the Jack and Jill Baba Yaga stories, this time from "Baba Yaga and the Alexandrite Ring;" this is not a Katherine O. Kurtz story.

In this tale Baba Yaga has a magical Alexandrite ring (an Alexandrite is a real gemstone, a dark green chrysoberyl that looks red when placed under artificial light) that can freeze things when green or warm things when red. But it has lost its powers and can only be restored when polished by a bit of web from the Spider Queen. Of course it is up to the witch's faithful cat to obtain some.

This is the story that I read and remembered from the early 1970's, and once more I am impressed by the persistence of imagery from that time in the make-up of my imagination. I have drawn that cat's muffler in many of my pictures, and it has turned up in my book, worn by one of my main characters.

Baba Yaga, Jack And Jill, and Katherine Kurtz

When I was going to McQueeney Elementary School back in the early 70's, each classroom was furnished with generous supplies of Jack and Jill magazines. I loved to browse through them during free time, and I remember I used to really enjoy the Baba Yaga stories that would be occasionally published in them. In these tales Baba Yaga, though grumpy and a little greedy, was a far cry from the cannibalistic hag depicted in old Russian tradition. The real hero was her put-upon black cat, who was sent out on missions by the old witch and had to brave whatever challenges that entailed. I remember enjoying the illustrations as well.

A couple of years ago my sister got a lot of old magazines and books for five bucks at a local auction, and included were several old copies of Jack and Jill. To my delight, one issue (July 1964) had the story "Baba Yaga and the Peddler", illustrated in the style I remembered. I was able to finally identify the artist I had admired as Ursula Koering, and the author of at least some of the Baba Yaga stories was Katherine Kurtz! The same Katherine Kurtz (I assume) who went on to become famous for her Deryni books.

A little further research uncovered a slim little book (34 pages) of four tales published in 1976 entitled Baba Yaga Stories, by Katherine K. O'Connor. Included was "Baba Yaga and the Peddler", so it's pretty sure the K. is for Kurtz. I couldn't find much information on the book; no picture of the cover or whether there were illustrations. So I suppose if there are any Katherine Kurtz collectors out there, this would be a rarity to look out for; I don't find it mentioned on any site dedicated to Kurtz.

I'd love to find more of these old Jack and Jills with Baba Yaga.