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.

Atland and the Lost Mount

MYTH

Main element: Earth

Language of the original: Spanish

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

An old myth has it that, at the slopes of Lost Mount (Monte Perdido), many years ago, there lived an old man who had a strange, abandoned and vagabond look; people from the valley even thought he was a bit insane. His name was Atland, and it is said that he descended from the mythical Atlantes, those who sustained the world. He had a very poor appearance and lived in a hut that he had built himself with old logs and natural materials.

Atland had been sent by his family, the gods, to build a great palace that would serve as a place to rest during the journey to the afterlife of the dead. For centuries, he devoted himself to building this palace with elements that he himself selected and worked with. This myth also has it that Atland first used the most primordial elements (air, fire, earth and water), then essential elements (smoke, wind, rock and rain) and finally some more spiritual elements (such as words, tears, petals or music). As a result of his great efforts, he constructed a majestic and breath-taking palace which, apart from being invisible to humans who didn’t have the gift of “double vision”, it could only be reached by riding a winged horse.

Humans, witches, giants and many other creatures were forbidden to enter the palace. However, Aneto, a fearsome giant who lived in those mountains, full of envy and anger was determined to access the palace. After uncountable attempts, he shot Atland with a magic bow, and knocked him down while riding his winged horse. Atland’s body fell down and, just as his lifeless body touched the ground, dark clouds filled the sky and all the mountains around began to tremble… until Aneto was drowned into the ground. Aneto, moving and tossing around trying to escape, ended up becoming one of the largest mountains in the Pyrenees. Still today, many believe that walking through these valleys, one can see the Palace of Monte Perdido hiding between clouds and high peaks.

Atland y el Monte Perdido

MITO

Elemento: Tierra

Idioma original: Español

Para más información sobre la leyenda, accede a la plataforma de 4element aquí.

Dice el mito que, en las faldas del Monte Perdido, hace muchos años, vivía un anciano, con aspecto extraño y vagabundo, que la gente de la zona creía medio loco. Se llamaba Atland, y se dice que descendía de los míticos atlantes que sostenían el mundo. Tenía una apariencia muy pobre, y vivía en una cabaña que había construido él mismo con troncos viejos y materiales de la zona.

Atland había sido enviado por su familia, los dioses, para construir un gran palacio que sirviera como estancia en el tránsito de los muertos hacia la otra vida. Durante siglos, se dedicó a construir este palacio con materiales que el mismo seleccionaba y trabajaba. Cuenta la leyenda, que Atland utilizó en primer lugar los elementos más primordiales (aire, fuego, tierra y agua), luego elementos esenciales (humo, viento, roca y lluvia) y, finalmente, algunos elementos más espirituales (como palabras, lágrimas, pétalos o música). El resultado fue una construcción majestuosa e impresionante que, además de ser invisible a aquellos humanos que no poseyeran el don de la doble visión, sólo se podía acceder a él montando un caballo alado.

Humanos, brujas, gigantes y muchas otras criaturas tenían prohibida la entrada al palacio. Pero Aneto, un temible gigante que vivía por allí, movido por la envidia se propuso no parar hasta poder entrar a tal preciado palacio. Muy enfadado por la dificultad de hacerse con él, disparó a Atland con un arco mágico, derribándolo mientras cabalgaba su caballo alado. El cuerpo sin vida cayó de gran altura y, justo cuando tocó el suelo, todo el cielo se llenó de nubes negras y las montañas empezaron a temblar hasta engullirse a Aneto. Éste, removiéndose y tratando de escapar, terminó convirtiéndose en una la montaña más grande del Pirineo. Todavía hoy, muchos creen que paseando por esos valles, uno puede ver el Palacio del Monte Perdido entre las nubes y las altas cimas.

PUYO DE COLUMA, R. (1889). Aragón histórico, pintoresco y monumental. Zaragoza: Imprenta del Aragón Histórico.