In Romanian folklore, Muma Pădurii is an ugly witch that lives in the deep forests.
Etymology
Muma Pădurii literally means the Mother of the Forest. Instead of saying "she's ugly", Romanians sometimes say "she looks like muma pădurii".
Appearance
Muma Pădurii is a spirit of the forest in a very ugly and old woman's body. Sometimes she has the ability to change her shape. She lives in a dark, dreadful, hidden little house.
Behavior
Muma Pădurii kidnaps little children and enslaves them, and because of this, a large variety of spells (descântece in romanian) are used against her.
Stories
In one of the popular stories, at some point, she tries to boil a little girl, alive, in a soup. However the little girl's brother outsmarts Muma Pădurii and pushes the woman-monster in the oven instead, similar the story of Hansel and Gretel. The story ends on a happy note when all kids are free to go back to their parents.
References
Lăzărescu, George, Dicţionar de mitologie. Dicţionarele Editurii Ion Creangă, Bucureşti, 1979.
See also