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.

The Legend of Lake Verijärv

LEGEND

Main element: Water

Language of the original: Estonian

Date of origin: 1904

Author: Collected and written by Jaan Sandra

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

Verijärv – "blood lake" or "bloody lake" in Estonian. Verijärv is located five kilometers from the town of Võru.

Lake Verijärv is situated in a deep, boggy valley. It is a long, winding body of water with green waves. But when storm is rising these waves turn into dark frothy mountains of water, which roll onto the lake shores. The rebelling lake is tamed by high forests on the banks – from the south the lake is hidden behind old pine trees, from the north behind strong spruces.

On the north bank of the lake there stood the manor. In the mornings its red roof cast a shadow on the lake, in the evenings the waves reflected lights from its windows. Lake Verijärv belonged to the manor. The old baron was a generous man and allowed the inhabitants of small shabby huts to fish in the lake. He expected the fishermen to bring him some pikes too and paid fairly to the old men.

But when the old baron died, his son who had been living in Germany, took over the manor. The young baron was a selfish and lofty man. He forced the peasants into slavery and punished everyone, who disobeyed him. By the lake stood a stellar, where he had the peasants beaten, so that their blood flowed into the lake and coloured it red. The evil baron exploited his power and took advantage of the women and daughters of his subjects. Unfortunately, this happened also to the maiden whom the coachman of the manor was in love with. The young man started planning revenge, thinking how to pay back to the man who had dishonoured his family.

One day the baron had some business to attend in the town of Võru. The day was long and exhausting and the baron fell asleep on his way back home. The coachman decided to act fast and liberate the locals from the despised baron. The travellers reached the steepest bank of the lake where the road runs exactly next to the lake. This seemed to be the best place to execute the baron and the coachman turned off the road and raced in full speed into the deep dark water.

On stormy nights one can still hear the cursing of the evil baron - it echoes in the distance like the hooting of an owl. Also at moonlit nights the carriage and silver harnesses can be clearly seen in the bottom of Lake Verijärv.

Verijärve legend

LEGEND

Element: Vesi

Originaalkeel: Eesti

Pärinemise aeg: 1904

Autor: Collected and written by Jaan Sandra

Rohkem infot legendi kohta leiad 4 elemendi veebilehelt siit.

Verijärv asub sügavas, soises orus. Ta on pikk, vingerdav veekogu, roheliste lainetega. Ent tormi tõusul muutuvad Verijärve vood tumedateks vahutavateks veemägedeks, mis rulluvad õõtsuvaile kallastele. Verijärve voogude tuhinat taltsutavad suured kaldametsad- lõuna poolt varjavad järve pedajajändrikud, põhjast mehised kuusetukad.

Järve põhjakaldal asus mõis. Lossi punane katus heitis hommikuti varju alla järvele, öösiti helkis tulesilmi akendest Verijärve voogudele. Verijärv kuulus mõisale. Verijärve mõisa vana parun oli kuldne inimene. Ei keelanud väikeste lagunenud hüttide elanikele millalgi kalu püüdmast. Käskis vaid tuua haugi omalegi, andis head tasu vanadele kaluritele.

Ent vana parun suri, tema asemele astus poeg, kes varem elas Saksamaal. Noor parun oli isekas ja uhke noorsand. Oma alamaid sundis ta orjatööle ja karistas igaühte, kes temale meele järele ei olnud. Järve kaldal seisis kelder, kus ta laskis talupoegi peksta nii, et veri jooksis järve ja värvis vee punaseks. Õel härra kasutas oma ülemvõimu ja häbistas alamate naisi ja tütreid. See õnnetus tabas ka mõisa kutsari armastatud tütarlast. Kutsar hakkas hauduma kättemaksumõtteid, kuidas oma perekonna au rüvetajatele kätte maksta.

Kord sõitnud parun jälle Võru linna asju ajama. Päev olnud pikk ja väsitav, ning tagasiteel jäänud härra magama.

Kutsar otsustas olukorda ära kasutada ja rahvas vihatud mõisahärrast vabastada.

Sõitjad jõudsid Verijärve kõige järsema perve kohale, sinna, kus tee kulgeb otse mööda kallast. Just siin leidis kutsar olevat paraja koha paruni hukkamiseks. Ta pööranud tee ääres järsku alla ja kihutanud tuhatnelja koos härraga sügavasse veehauda.

Pärast seda kuuldakse tormistel öödel kurja härja tänitamist, mis nagu öökulli huiked kaugele kajavad. Ka olevat kuuvalgel ööl tõld ja hõbetatud hobuserakmed Verijärves selgesti näha.

Remmel, M. (2001). Rõuge Kihelkond. Tartu: Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum.