Write by the Cards: Day Three
An Opportunity Appears
If you’re new to The Rebel MFA Way, welcome! This is my daily work for my Write by the Cards: 30 Day Challenge that I’m hosting. Learn more here. Scroll down to the end to see my behind-the-scenes commentary and source material.
One day, an unexpected opportunity presented itself: {draw a card}.
As Zaza spun her tale, the room around Rian faded away, and in her mind, they were pulled deep into the enchanted woods of old Russia. Each word Zaza spoke sent Rian deeper into the world of enchanted forests and clever girls. The image of Baba Yaga's hut, perched precariously atop spindly legs, was Rian’s favorite part.
“Baba Yaga was feared by many,” Zaza continued, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “But she had a soft spot for children who dared to be brave. There was once a girl named Vasalisa…”
Rian leaned forward, captivated. Vasalisa was clever and resourceful—everything Rian wished she could be instead of just the girl stuck in her own house. A whisper of longing flickered in her chest as she imagined being brave enough to confront someone like Baba Yaga.
“And when Vasalisa went to the witch for help,” Zaza said, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial hush, “she had to complete three impossible tasks! She had to gather firewood, clean Baba Yaga’s hut until it sparkled like the stars, and ultimately… find her way home with nothing but a doll given to her by her mother.”
Jud furrowed his brow. “But how could she do that?”
Zaza chuckled softly, the sound a melodic ripple in the air. “Ah, but that’s the beauty of it! Vasalisa wasn’t without help. You see, her mother’s doll was no ordinary toy. It had been enchanted with the wisdom of the forest, gifted to her as a parting gesture before she passed away. Whenever Vasalisa faced a challenge, all she needed to do was whisper her troubles to the doll, and it would guide her.”
Rian’s heart raced. “What kind of help did it give her?”
“Ah, well,” Zaza said, a twinkle in her eye, “when Vasalisa found herself standing at the edge of Baba Yaga’s clearing, trembling at the sight of that crooked hut, she clutched the doll tightly and whispered her fears. In response, the doll sent warmth through her fingers. She understood then: she must be brave and trust in herself.”
Rian nodded slowly, caught up in Zaza’s enchantment. “So she just… believed?”
“Yes!” Zaza’s voice rose with excitement. “With each impossible task—the wood gathering, the scrubbing of floors—Vasalisa learned how to listen not only to the wisdom of her doll but also to the instincts that bloomed within her. The forest, with its rustling leaves and soft whispers, became her friend.”
Zaza shifted in her seat and took a quick drink and continued. “You see, each task Vasalisa completed revealed more than just bravery, they unveiled part of Baba Yaga’s heart too. When Vasalisa returned with the wood and presented it with humility and respect, Baba Yaga didn’t tell her, but she admired the child.”
“What was next?” Rian asked.
“The second task was cleaning the hut,” Zaza said dramatically. “Vasalisa arrived at dawn to find the hut filled with grime and dirt—a mess even the most patient soul would dread tackling. But instead of despairing, she called upon her doll once more.”
“And?” Rian urged.
“The doll instructed her to invite the winds of guidance!” Zaza exclaimed. With a flick of her wrist mimicking Vasalisa’s actions, Zaza swept an imaginary broom through the air. “As she began to clean, whispers of encouragement filled the air—the winds swirled around her like friendly spirits guiding each stroke until every corner sparkled brighter than any star!”
Rian and Jud grinned now, clearly invested in Vasalisa's journey.
“So did it impress Baba Yaga?” Rian asked.
“Yes,” Zaza answered thoughtfully. “But it was not without challenge; Baba Yaga demanded perfection! Each time Vasalisa met a task with kindness and cleverness, Baba Yaga grew more intrigued yet remained guarded—her heart wrapped tight like thorns around a rose.”
A shiver traveled down Rian’s spine; could such a fierce witch ever be softened? Yet somewhere deep inside her heart echoed a whisper—the same promise Vasalisa heard from her doll: bravery comes in many forms.
“But what about the last task?” Rian asked.
“Oh, yes,” Zaza said, leaning closer, her words woven like a silk web. “Vasalisa had to return home with a glowing ember from Baba Yaga’s fire.”
Rian gasped. “But isn’t that dangerous?”
“Indeed! For Baba Yaga jealously guarded her fire, and many who entered her domain never returned. But Vasalisa approached with respect and courage. She remembered her mother’s teachings and the wisdom of her doll. When the witch demanded an impossible price for the ember—a task that seemed insurmountable—Vasalisa took a deep breath and asked for guidance.”
“What did the doll say?” Rian asked breathlessly.
Zaza smiled. “The doll reminded her of all she had learned: that bravery often comes from helping others, even when fear grips your heart. So instead of seeking only for herself, Vasalisa offered to help Baba Yaga with a small task—she would gather herbs for her potions in exchange for a single ember.”
Jud perked up. “And Baba Yaga accepted?”
“Yes!” Zaza exclaimed, clapping her hands together joyfully. “She was surprised by Vasalisa's cleverness and willingness to help despite the danger she faced. After all, no one ever thinks to barter with a witch! By showing kindness first, Vasalisa won not just the ember but also a measure of respect from Baba Yaga.”
“But what happened when she got the ember? Did she escape?” Rian asked.
Zaza nodded, savoring the moment. “With the glowing ember cradled gently in her hands, Vasalisa made her way back through the woods to her home.”
“Did she make it to her home and save her family?” Jud asked, squirming in anticipation.
Zaza’s expression turned dark. “Yes, when Vasalisa returned, her stepmother and stepsisters could hardly believe it. They had been without fire since her departure without any hope of starting a new one. They thought they would surely die as Vasalisa had. When she entered the home, they cooed and thanked her for her bravery, but Vasalisa had grown during her journey. She had changed and Baba Yaga had rubbed off on her.”
Zaza paused and took another drink, delaying the ending.
“What? What does that mean?” Rian asked impatiently.
“Well, after her stepmother and stepsisters were properly warmed up, she asked them if they could bring her supper, after all, she was exhausted after her long trip. This was a test that she was sure they couldn’t fail, but instead, they dismissed her inquiry and said they were not her maid and she was lucky to be in the warm home at all.”
Rian’s lips trembled and her stomach sank for the girl.
“But remember, Vasalisa is no ordinary little girl. She is clever. She is brave. And now, she has the wisdom of Baba Yaga on her side.
When her stepmother and stepsisters were fast asleep, Vasalisa knew what she needed to do. She stoked the fire quickly, harshly and without mercy. The embers flew from the spitting flames, catching on the wood flooring. Then the window coverings. Vasalisa made sure that her doll was tucked securely in her pocket before leaving the home and by morning the wicked trio had been burnt to cinders.”
Behind-the-Scenes Commentary
One of the things I learned during my first time at doing a challenge like this was to surrender to where the energy is taking you, even if it doesn’t make sense or isn’t fitting with that initial spark or idea you had. Fighting this impulse to want to “control” the narrative will make the process harder. It will gum up that creative momentum you’ve been building and make you second guess yourself.
The solution? Let go and just go where you feel the story or narrative is taking you.
Plus, it might make more sense than you think.
For example, I have a VERY strong image/vision in my head after I “solidified” my premise. But, I didn’t take my own advice to heart and got a little too “attached” to the “vision.”
So when today came and I tried to “steer” the writing to fit both the prompt and my vision, I struggled to find the “entry point” with where I left it off for myself (this is another challenge #quickwin hack.1)
But that’s because there was a strong energetic pull for me to go in a different direction than I intended. I had to surrender to what was making me more curious — the Zaza and Baba Yaga direction rather than the Home Alone direction.
But I’m also not surprised about that because I’ve been working closely with myths for a while now. I’m also currently working toward my training in applied mythology - so it makes sense that my subconcious cannot help but weave in a myth as a narrative and framing device. Even when I don’t intend or necessarily want it to, it asserts itself.
That said, by the time I finished feverishly writing Zaza’s version of Baba Yaga, I was in love with her as a character, with her interactions with the kids, such trust! Such mischief! Also, going a bit meta here — but I feel like Kathy Najimy’s rendition of Sarah Sanderson from Hocus Pocus could totally play this type of character given the space to develop… a sweet, sage old woman with questionable ethics and morals and intentions. Sweet but sour.
Speaking of the card… the 8 of cups.
To me, this is just such a broadly applicable card. Walking away, leaving things behind, allowing the disillusions to fall away.
In a way, this card could very well be the story of Vasilisa. But it’s also a metaphoric story for Rian as well.
Vasilisa is brave and takes control of her own narrative, and I think that’s what Rian wants for herself and her siblings, too.
Source Material
“Vasalisa the Brave” from Women Who Run with the Wolves as a primary source text
This challenge is a perfect time to experiment and challenge yourself to write cliffhangers. As readers and writers, many authors have a love/hate relationship to cliffhangers, but no one can deny that when they are done well, they work! But even if you don’t “nail” a cliffhanger, you can still use the technique to help with your creativity. By leaving the last paragraph/sentence/scene “open-ended,” you’re giving yourself a place to start from in your next writing session. Maybe you dont’ need that… I don’t always. In fact, I only use this hack when I know that I may need to help “tomorrow me” with writing. My intuition is usually pretty good with this.