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 Northern Lights

FAIRY TALE

Main element: Air

Language of the original: Estonian

Date of origin: 1924

Author: Juhan Kunder

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

The Northern Lights - spectacular solar phenomenon is one of nature's greatest wonders, creating ethereal lights in a range of colours that dance and swirl across the night sky. The Northern Lights have only recently been understood by modern science, though have long been of inherent fascination to those who have seen them. Incredible myths and fairy tales inspired by them are used in many Nordic countries, also in Estonia. Unfortunately it is not possible to see northern lights very often in Estonia.

Once there lived a squire who used to go sledging every Thursday night in the dept of winter and return only before daybreak. None of his servants was allowed to see him off or to receive him on arrival. He harnessed and unharnessed his horse himself. He never showed his horse or the harness to anyone.

He had threatened to shoot anyone who dared break into his secret stall in the stable. The key to the stall was safely guarded-by day it was in his inside breast-pocket, by night, under his pillow.

The coachman, however, was curious to see what the secret horse and harness were like and what trips his master took every week.

One Thursday night the coachman picked up his courage, went to the stable early in the evening and crouched in the dark corner near the sealed door.

He had not waited long when his master came and opened the door to the secret stall. Suddenly the large stable became bright as though lighted by scores of candles. The coachman huddled in his corner motionless like a hedgehog because had his master noticed him it would have been the end of him.

The squire pulled out the sledge which was glowing brightly. Then he went to lead out the horse. Meanwhile the coachman crept under the sledge. The horse was soon harnessed and hitched to the sledge, and both the animal and the sleigh were covered with a caparison, lest the light should wake up the members of the household.

The coachman crept out from under the sleigh and stationed himself standing on the runners behind the sleigh where he could not be seen by his master.

Having finished all the necessary preparations the squire seated himself on the sleigh and then with the runners howling, made for the North.

After a few hours’ ride the coachman noticed that the caparison had disappeared and both the horse and the sleigh sparkled like fire.

Now the coachman beheld squires and dames in shining vehicles approaching from all directions and scorching past them. There rose an incredible tumult with deafening roar and rustle. The horses galloped past and through one another. The commotion reminded the coachman of a race with thousand-rouble bets or a wedding-ride. Only now did he realize that the racing took place over the clouds which gleamed deep under them like smooth frozen lakes.

After some time the merry company grew scarcer and the coachman’s master called to a squire shooting past him, "Brother, the other Northern Lights are leaving, time for us to go too."

The master and the coachman flew homewards. Next day the members of the household talked animatedly about the exceptionally bright Northern Lights they had seen the previous night.

The coachman, however, kept his mouth shut, he did not so much as hint at his nocturnal ride. They say that as an old man he told his grandson about his adventure and this is how the story got round.

Even to this day some people are believed to go riding as Northern Lights, and if on a winter night you see Aurora Borealis flaring brightly, it is to mean that they are having their wedding party, dancing vehemently.

Virmalised

MUINASJUTT

Element: Õhk

Originaalkeel: Eesti

Pärinemise aeg: 1924

Autor: Juhan Kunder

Rohkem infot legendi kohta leiad 4 elemendi veebilehelt siit.

Üks mõisahärra sõitis külmal talvel iga neljapäeva öösel kodunt ära ning tuli alles koidu eel tagasi.

Härra oli kõvasti ära keelanud, et keegi teda saatma ega vastu võtma ei pidanud tulema. Rakendas ise hobuse ning võttis tagasi tulles ka ise jälle lahti. Hobuse-riistu ega hobust ennast ei näidanud ta kellelegi; lubas sellepärast tappa, kellel julgust oleks tema salatalli tungida. Talli võtit kandis ta päeval põues, öösel aga hoidis voodis pea all.

Härra kutsar aga ei hoolinud sest keelust midagi, vaid tahtis salamahti kord näha, missugune hobune ja missugused sõiduriistad härral salatallis varjul on ja kuhu härra iga neljapäeva õhtul sõidab.

Läks nüüd julge mees ühel neljapäeva õhtul aegsasti talli ja istus salaukse kõrvale pimedasse nurka.

Ei kestnud kuigi kaua, seal tuli härra ja tegi salatalli ukse lahti. Korraga läks suur tall valgeks, nagu oleks mitukümmend küünalt põlema süüdatud. Kutsar surus end talli nurka kokku nagu siil, sest oleks härra teda silmanud, siis oleks temal lubatud palk oodata olnud. Nüüd tõmbas härra saani välja; see läikis just kui sepapaja esine. Seni kui aga härra hobuse järele läks, puges kutsar saani alla. Rakendati nüüd hobune ruttu ette ning pandi saanile ja hobusele tekk peale, et imevalgus mitte mõisarahva silmi ei ulatuks. Kutsar ronis tasakesi saani alt välja ja astus saani taha jalaste peale, kus teda õnneks härra ka ei silmanud.

Oli kõik korras, siis istus härra saani, ja hobu ja mees läksid edasi, et saani jalased ulusid -ikka põhja poole.

Paari tunni pärast silmas kutsar, et hobuse ja saani tekk olid kadunud ning hobu ja sõiduriist jälle kui tuli hiilgasid.

Nüüd nägi ka kutsar, kuidas kõigilt poolt härrasid ja prouasid niisamasuguste hobuste ja saanidega lähemale kihutas. See oli üks kohin ja kahin! Sõitjad traaveldasid üksteisest läbi ja mööda, nagu oleks olnud neil tuhandete rublade peale käed löödud või kõige suurem pulmasõit ees. Viimaks sai mees aru, et sõit pilvedest üle käis, mis nagu siledad järved sõitjate all läikisid.

Mõne aja pärast jäi sõitjaid vähemaks ja ikka vähemaks ning kutsari härra ütles naabrihärrale: „Vend, teised virmalised lahkuvad, läheme ka!"

Härra ja kutsar lendasid jälle kodu poole. Teisel päeval rääkis mõisarahvas, et nad eluilmas niisugust virmaliste vehklemist polnud näinud kui mineval ööl.

Kutsar aga pidas oma suu kinni ning ei rääkinud kellelegi oma öösisest reisist. Pärast olevat ta nähtud asja oma pojapojale vanas põlves ometi ära rääkinud, ning selle käest lagunenud see jutt laiali.

Tänapäevani aga käivat veel mitmed inimesed virmalisteks, ning kui sa talveajal kanget virmaliste vehklemist näed, siis pidavat nad pulmapidu.

Kunder, J. and Palgi, D. (1924). Eesti muinasjutud. Tartus: Eesti Kirjanduse Seltsi Koolikirjanduse-toimkonna kirjastus.