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 Wandering Lake

LEGEND

Main element: Water

Language of the original: Estonian

Date of origin: 1866

Author: Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald

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

Lake Vahtsõjärv (or another name Paenujärv) is located near the town of Võru.
The activity described in the legend takes place on the shore of the lake and was probably the most prominent object to swear by fake loyalty. Breaking the vow causes chaos in the world order and the lake - water escapes. In the legend, nature reacts actively to human activity, implying that the balance is broken.

Several hundred years ago there was a small lake in the valley with clear silvery water surrounded by green grassy banks. There was a lovely oak wood on the high bank instead of the birch grove and in its shade there stood a big farm showing signs of a well-to-do owner.

The greatest and most beautiful treasure of the farm was the only daughter of the owner who grew up among five strong brothers and bloomed like a most beautiful flower so that there was no other girl to be found anywhere to match her beauty. Many wooers came from far and near but the maiden had no desire to submit herself to marriage so soon. “I have time enough to get married yet!” she laughed.

One day a young knight of noble birth from the Kirumpää Castle, riding past the farm to Vastseliina, happened to notice the beautiful girl on the shore of the lake. A passion flamed up in his heart so that he could not forget the girl.

He lurked near the lake for several days until at last he found the girl alone and the moment favourable for talking to her and telling her of his heart’s desire. Although the maiden felt no love towards him she could not abruptly reject the noble young man who might have caused much harm to her father and brothers because of this. However, the maiden always replied to the knight’s entreaty, “Dear Sir, I am not fit to become your wife since you are of noble birth and I just a common farmer’s daughter, and I don’t have the slightest wish to become your mistress. Therefore I deem it best for you to forget all about me and return to your kin.”

One day the two of them were again sitting on the lakeshore in the shade of a big oak-tree. The knight had in his usual way been declaring his ardent love for the maiden, vowing that he would rather die than depart from his love. The maiden replied meekly: “Do not make fun of me! I must not, nor do I want to, believe your vows that have come on the wind and will go with the wind. You will never win my love and let me tell you truthfully, I’d rather give up my life than be dishonoured. I cannot make friends with you.”

The knight replied: “Truly, my love for you and you alone will last forever just as this clear lake here in front of our eyes will never change its place.”

And so he tried again to win the girl’s favour until at last he left sadly for home, angry with himself and the maiden that all his attempts had been in vain.

Great was the fright of the people on the farm the next morning when they no longer found the lake in front of their door but only slime and mud on the damp sand. The maiden raised her eyes towards heaven, remembering the vows of the young man and thanking God for giving her such an evident sign.

Never after that dared the knight come near the farm on the lake-shore where God had thus given ample proof of the falseness of his vows.

Paigast läinud järveke

LEGEND

Element: Vesi

Originaalkeel: Eesti

Pärinemise aeg: 1866

Autor: Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald

Rohkem infot legendi kohta leiad 4 elemendi veebilehelt siit.

Mõnesaja aasta eest seisnud orus väike järveke hõbedakarva veega, haljaste muruliste kallaste vahel. Kõrgel kaldal kaunis tammik, tammiku varjus üksik kena talu, mis juba eemalt nõukast peremehest tunnistanud.

Talu kõige kaunim varandus oli peremehe ainuke tütar, kes viie tugeva venna seltsis üles kasvas ja ilusama lille kombel õitses, nõnda et teist temasarnast piigat ligemal ega kaugemal kuskil ei leitud. Kosilasi käinud temal küll juba mitu korda ja mitmelt poolt, siiski ei olnud tal lusti ega tahtmist nii vara naiserangisid endale kaela lasta panna. „Mehele minemisega on mul veel aega küllalt!“ naeris ta.

Ühel päeval juhtunud kogemata üks noor suurtsugu rüütel Kirumpää lossist Vastseliina minnes ja järvetalust mööda ratsutades kaunist tütarlast järve kaldal silmama. See hakanud himustust rüütli südamesse kihutama, nii et tema edaspidi ööl ega päeval nähtud piigakest enam ei võinud meelest unustada.

Ta luuranud mitu päeva salamahti järvekese ümber, kuni ta ükskord silmapilgu leidnud piigaga üksi jutule saada ja oma südame igatsust temale kuulutada. Ehk küll tütarlapsel tema vastu armastust ei olnud, siiski ei tohtinud ta järsku noormehe vastu hakata tõrkuma, kes ehk põlgamise pärast tema vanematele ja vendadele palju kurja oleks võinud teha. Rüütli palumiste peale aga vastas piiga iga kord: „Aus härra! Teile prouaks minusugune ei kõlba, sest teie olete kõrge saks ja mina madal talupojatütar, ja teile kasunaiseks kaisutada tulla ei ole mul mitte vähimat himu. Sellepärast oleks minu arvates kõige parem, kui teie mind unustaksite ja oma sugurahva juurde tagasi läheksite.“

Ühel päeval istunud nad jälle kahekesi järvekese kaldal laia tamme varjus, kus rüütel vana viisi oma tulipalavat armastusepilli tütarlapse kõrva oli puhunud, tõotades, kuidas ta ennemini, kui see võimalik oleks, kümme korda oma elu tahaks anda, kui armukesest lahkuda. Piiga palunud alandlikult vastu: „Ärge tulge mind pilkama! Mina ei tohi ega taha teie tõotamisi uskuda, mis tuulest tulnud ja tuulde jälle lähevad. Teiega sõprust pidada seisab mul hinge vastu. Teie ei või minu üle iial võimust saada, sest ma võin teile tõtt mööda ütelda: ennemini lasen ma oma elu võtta kui oma au narrida. Teiega ei tohi mul pikemat sõprust olla!

Rüütel kostnud: „Nii tõesti, kui see selge järveke siin meie silmade ees oma paika ei saa kaotama ega siit teise kohta minema – niisama tõesti peab minu armastus üksi sinu vastu igavesti muutumata jääma.“

Sedaviisi olnud ta veel ligi õhtuni tütarlast enda poole kiusanud, kuni ta viimaks nukral meelel kodu poole hakanud minema, iseenda ja tütarlapse peale vihane, et asi paremini korda ei läinud.

Pererahva ehmatus ja imestamine järvetalus ei olnud teisel hommikul pisuke, kui nad üles tõustes ja õue minnes enam järvekest ukse ees ei leidnud, vaid tema asemel kõntsa ja muda niiske liivasõmera peal. Tütarlaps tõstnud, erilist noormehe tõotamist meelde tuletades, oma silmad taeva poole, et Vanaisa temale nii avaliku tunnismärgi oli andnud.

Aga rüütel ei julgenud selle peale enam oma jalgu järvetalusse tõsta, kus taeva vägi tema tõotused sedaviisi valeks oli tunnistanud.

Kreutzwald, F. and Annist, A. (1967). Eesti rahva ennemuistsed jutud. Rahva suust korjanud ja üles kirjutanud F.R. Kreutzwald. [Tallinn]: [Eesti Raamat].