Yama Uba-mountain crone-is a yōkai "spirit" or "monster"-found in Japanese folklore - She preys on travelers who have become lost in her wooded lair. She offer to "help" the lost soul and then lead him to a dangerous area of the mountain where he falls to his death and allows her to feed. She may offer to lodge the victim in her hut. Once the luckless traveler is sufficiently fattened up, she pounces. In addition to killing adults, Yama-uba is often blamed for missing children.
