4 ELEMENTS

Project logo
Improve the foreign language learning and intercultural competences of adults through e-learning

The project

FOUR ELEMENTS is an initiative called to raise awareness and appreciation of the importance of culture and heritage as well as to train educators working with adult learners who want to improve their skills and competences necessary in today’s EU labour market.

The project will take advantage of the potential of the common European cultural values associated to the 4 elements earth, water, air and fire) to empower adults to improve their digital, foreign language and intercultural competences.

The partnership expects to develop and deliver innovative teaching materials presented in a culturally accessible E-book consisting of European legends and stories – giving visibility to the underlying common EU values and principles, especially adapted to learners with special needs.

To achieved such objectives, partners will develop:

An interactive map: a collection of legends and stories related to earth, water, air and fire, in different EU countries.

Digital Books with national legends and stories related to the four elements.

Methodological recommendations for adult educators.

To find more information, access the Four Elements platform here.

Digital books

The nations of Europe all have rich cultures of myth and folklore which give the different regions their particular individual flavour. Here we have grouped traditional stories from Belgium, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain according to the four elements: earth, air, wind and fire.

They are specially adapted to adult learners and can be used to develop language or ICT skills among your students while enhancing intercultural understanding.

Alongside the stories, this digital book contains interactive exercises and is in Easy Read format. All the material in it can be downloaded and printed. Teachers and trainers will find tips and suggestions for how to use it on the Recommendations section of this site.

European partnership

Four Elements is an Erasmus+ KA204 project designed to highlight the importance of culture and heritage at European Union level. It aims to train educators working with adult learners to enable them to acquire the skills and competences, including linguistic and digital skills and competences, required in the European labour market.

The project is coordinated by : CVO EduKempen (Belgium). The partnership also includes DomSpain Consulting (Spain), The Central Library of Võru County (Estonia), Les Apprimeurs (France), Istituto dei Sordi di Torino (Italy), Slovenian Third Age University (Slovenia), MyArtist (Greece).

Erasmus+ project

Erasmus logo The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Burned at the Stake

LEGEND

Main element: Fire

Language of the original: Estonian

Date of origin: 1920

Author: Matthias Johann Eisen

To find more information about the legend, access the Four Elements platform here.

Once upon a time on Saaremaa island there was a law, which said that women were not allowed to leave the house without covering their hair. Should a woman leave the house bareheaded, she would be sentenced to death by burning.

In Kihelkonna there once lived a woman called Els. One Sunday she was sitting by the window and combing her hair, when she suddenly noticed a herd of oxen chasing her cow. Els forgot the strict laws of the island, dropped her hairbrush and rushed out to save the cow from the oxen. The cow was running fast, after it came the oxen, followed finally by Els.

Unfortunately, she came across a group of churchgoers. They were startled: "Els, don’t you know that it is forbidden to leave the house bareheaded? You deserve to die!"

Now Els remembered the strict law of the island. She wanted to return home, but already the men were pulling her by the hair. They tied her between two horses and took her to the forest. The whole village gathered to witness her punishment.

The men started to prepare the stake and soon it was finished. Els was condemned to the stake. No matter how hard she fought, she was tied to it and set on fire.

From the flames Els cursed her punishers: "May happiness abandon your homes and misfortune find its way to all your family members! I went to save my cow, not to break our laws! The fault lies with you!"

The people were not frightened by her curse and burned her as the law insisted. Yet, happiness was destroyed in Tagametsa and its whereabouts and misfortune was a frequent visitor in every family.

From the ashes of the burnt woman rose two white doves, flew to the top of the pine tree and cooed in a sad voice, as if saying: for no reason have you sacrificed an innocent soul because of your foolish laws!

The place where Els was burned is until this day called the Moor of Els. In past days every passer-by threw something at the place of burning to retain the memory of Els, whether a small branch, a wooden stick, a stone or anything else that was near at hand.

Tuleriidale

LEGEND

Element: Tuli

Originaalkeel: Eesti

Pärinemise aeg: 1920

Autor: Matthias Johann Eisen

Rohkem infot legendi kohta leiad 4 elemendi veebilehelt siit.

Saaremaal maksnud ennemuiste niisugune seadus, et ükski naisterahvas katmata peaga ei tohtinud toast välja minna. Läinud keegi katmata peaga välja mõistetud ta tulesurma.

Kihelkonnas elanud korra üks naisterahvas Els. Ühel pühapäeval soeb ta parajalt juukseid, kui aknast välja vaadates näeb: härjakari ajab ta lehma taga. Els unustab kõik saarlaste valjud seadused, viskab harja käest, jookseb õue lehma härgade käest päästma. Aga võta lehm kinni! Lehm jookseb eest, härjakari järel, Els härjakarja järel.

Eks tule õnnetuseks kirikulisi Else vasta. Kirikulised kohkuvad. „Els, kas sa ei tea, et katmata peaga ei tohi toast tulla? Surma oled teeninud!“

Nüüd alles tärkab Elsel saarlaste vali seadus meelde. Els tahab koju tagasi joosta, aga juba mehed ta juuksis kinni. Seovad Else juukseid pidi kahe hobuse vahele, viivad metsa. Kogu küla jookseb kokku Else nuhtlust vaatama.

Mehed halgusid kokku kandma. Pea puuriit valmis. Els mõistetakse tulesurma. Kuidas ka vasta sipleb, tõstetakse vaeneke riidale, süüdatakse riit põlema.

Riidal Els nuhtlejaid needma: „Kadugu õnn teie kodadest! Tabagu õnnetus igas peres ainagi üht perekonna liiget! Lehma läksin päästma, mitte Saare kombeid rikkuma. Süü langegu teie eneste kaela!“

Ei hooli nuhtlejad naise needmisest, vaid põletavad Else vanade saarlaste kommete järele. Needmise järele ometi Tagametsas ja selle ümbruses õnn hävinud, õnnetus sage külaline igas perekonnas.

Põletatud naisterahva tuhast tõuseb kaks valget tuid, lendavad männa latva, kudrutavad haledalt, nagu tahaksid saarlastele ütelda: asjata olete ilmasüüta hinge rumalate kommete pärast ohverdanud!

Seda kohta, kus Els ära põletati, hüütakse meie Päivini Else nõmmeks. Vanemal ajal visanud iga möödamineja, põletamise kohale mälestuseks midagi maha, kes oksa, kes puupuiga, kes kivi, kes midagi muud, mis peosse juhtus.

Eisen, M. (1920). Eesti kohalikud muistejutud. Tallinn.