The House with Chicken Legs

Marinka dreams about the Old Yaga’s stories and wakes up excited for her Ceremony of Bonding. She is making food when Salma and Lamya stop by and invite her out for ice cream. Marinka declines, demanding to know why they are so mean to everyone. The girls argue that they’ve been kind to Marinka. Marinka gives in and accepts their invitation. When they pass the Old Yaga’s house, the girls make fun of it, deeming it creepy and weird. Salma announces that Marinka’s house looks the same. Marinka snaps, yelling at the girls for being cruel. She defends her and the Old Yaga, too. She tells Salma and Lamya not to visit her again and races away.

Marinka runs to the Old Yaga’s house. She tells the Old Yaga all about Salma and Lamya and how cruel they are. The Old Yaga agrees that the girls can be unkind, but assures Marinka that they are only children and not all of the living are this way. She admits that she likes the living, which is why she and her house settled here in the market. Marinka is surprised.

Marinka and the Old Yaga spend the evening making a drink called trost. They continue chatting while they work. When the Old Yaga asks Marinka more about herself, Marinka is tempted to admit the truth, but maintains her lie that she “just want[s] to be a Guardian” (188). They finish up their preparations and head out to the steppes for the bonding ceremony and celebration.

Hordes of Yagas gather at the Russian steppes for Marinka’s ceremony. Marinka has never seen so many Yaga houses at once. She is also surprised to learn that the Old Yaga’s first name is Tatyana. There is food, music, dancing, and games at the party, and Marinka’s house is decorated with candles and flower chains. Finally, the elders begin the ceremony, placing a flower necklace on Marinka that matches the flowers on the house. Then The Gate appears. The elders sing to Marinka about her future as a Guardian. Finally, they command the house to open The Gate. As soon as it does, Marinka races toward it and jumps over the threshold.

Marinka feels herself floating in darkness until Jack’s claws dig into her and pull her back. She feels hands on her, too. Back on the other side, the Yagas encircle Marinka, demanding to know what is going on and if she is alright. The Old Yaga insists that she is fine.

The party ends abruptly. The Old Yaga stays with Marinka and scolds her for lying to her and the house. She explains that Marinka cannot go through The Gate because she might not come back, reiterating that her house needs her and Baba is gone. Marinka does not want to believe her. She flees the house and races through the market. Hours later, she returns home to discover her house engulfed in flames.

Marinka runs into Salma, who admits she and Lamya accidentally lit the house on fire. They lit a match to see if the skulls outside were real skulls; when they dropped the match, the house went up in flames. Marinka brushes past Salma, crying out for Jack. She races into the flaming house and apologizes for everything. Finally, the house starts running and plunges into the harbor. The fire goes out. Through tears, Marinka begs the house for forgiveness. She insists she only lied because she wanted Baba back. The house wraps a vine around Marinka; she realizes “the house misses Baba too” (212). Then the house agrees to take Marinka somewhere far away.