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.

Merlin and the forest of Broceliande

LEGEND

Main element: Earth

Language of the original: French

Date of origin: Medieval Times

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

Merlin the enchanter is a legendary character, both druid and magician. His legend was born from welsh celtic mythology though he’s indivisible from the Arthurian legends of Chrétien de Troyes.

Merlin the enchanter, son of the devil and a woman, is a very powerful magician, who tries to unify the kingdom of Brittany alongside King Arthur. He is very attached to the forest of Brocéliande, where he feels at home amongst the lakes and the magnificent trees.

One day, Merlin decides to go to the heart of the forest, where there is a splendid fountain. There, he encounters the most beautiful young girl he has ever seen. Daughter of the lord of Quimper, her name is Viviane and the young people get along famously.

To seduce her, Merlin uses his powers, bringing out many wonderful magic things. Viviane, amazed by Merlin’s powers, asks him to teach her everything he knows about sorcery and magic. Merlin, who can not refuse her anything, accepts but makes her promise they will be friend for eternity. She agrees and Merlin has to go back to King Arthur to continue their duty of unifying Brittany and repelling the enemy. He commits to teaching Vivianne magic when he returns.

When his duty is done, Merlin hurries to go back to the heart of the forest of Brocéliande to meet the beautiful Viviane again. The latter is so happy to see him again, that Merlin falls more deeply in love with her.

As promised, Merlin teaches her all he knows about magic, the mastering of all four elements, the art of metamorphosis and the spell which makes one fall into a deep sleep. Viviane, whose thirst for knowledge is insatiable, asks Merlin to teach her more. The latter is so in love that he meets all of her demands and builds her a marvellous crystal castle that only she and her court can see. Thus, she will be safe during Merlin’s absence as he has to meet King Arthur one last time.

Before he leaves, Viviane makes him promise that he will teach her the imprisonment spell when he returns. He agrees and then goes to help King Arthur. Then, Merlin announces to the latter that he will leave definitely for Brocéliande where the beautiful Viviane awaits impatiently.

When Merlin meets Viviane, he keeps his promises again and teaches her the imprisonment spell, but he then suddenly falls into a deep sleep. When he wakes up, he realizes that he is in a fabulous place but enclosed with an impassable wall of air. At his side, Vivianne explains lovingly that they are forever reunited and that she belongs to him as much as he belongs to her. That is how the most powerful magician of Brittany gave up his freedom for love.

Today in Britanny, one can still find rocks called “Merlin’s grave” in the forest of Brocéliande. Legend has it that the enchanter still lives in his gilded cage that no-one can see.

Merlin et la forêt de Brocéliande

LÉGENDE

Élément : Terre

Langue d'origine : Français

Date d'origine : Moyen Âge

Vous pouvez retrouver plus d'informations sur cette légende sur le site du projet ici.

Merlin l'enchanteur est un personnage légendaire, à la fois druide et magicien. Sa légende est née de la mythologie celtique galloise bien qu'il soit indissociable des légendes arthuriennes de Chrétien de Troyes.

Merlin l’enchanteur, fils d’une humaine et du diable est un talentueux magicien qui, aux Merlin l’enchanteur, fils d’une humaine et du diable est un talentueux magicien qui, aux côtés du Roi Arthur, s’évertue à unifier le Royaume de Bretagne. Il est très attaché à la merveilleuse forêt de Brocéliande, où il se sent à sa place, parmi les lacs et les arbres majestueux.

Un beau jour, Merlin décide de se rendre au coeur de la forêt, où se trouve une magnifique fontaine. Là-bas, il rencontre la plus belle jeune fille qu’il ait jamais vue. Fille du seigneur de Quimper, son nom est Vivianne et les deux jeunes gens s’entendent à merveille.

Afin de charmer la jeune femme, Merlin utilise ses pouvoirs magiques pour l’impressionner, faisait apparaître toute sorte de choses incroyables. Viviane, émerveillée par les talents du jeune homme lui demande alors de lui apprendre tout ce qu’il sait sur les sorts et la magie. Merlin qui ne sait pas lui refuser cette faveur accepte, tout en lui faisant promettre son amitié éternelle. La jeune femme lui en fait la promesse. Et Merlin, qui doit retourner auprès du Roi Arthur pour poursuivre leur mission d’unifier la Bretagne, s’engage alors à lui enseigner la magie dès son retour.

Une fois la Bretagne unifiée et les envahisseurs repoussés, Merlin s’empresse de retourner au coeur de la forêt de Brocéliande pour y retrouver la belle Viviane. Cette dernière est si heureuse de le revoir que Merlin en tombe davantage amoureux.

Comme il lui avait promis, Merlin lui enseigne tout ce qu’il sait, sur la magie, la maîtrise des éléments, la métamorphose ainsi que le sort qui permet de plonger quelqu’un dans un sommeil profond.

Viviane qui est très curieuse et dont la soif d’apprendre est insatiable demande à Merlin de lui apprendre encore d’autres sorts. Ce dernier est si amoureux de la belle qu’il répond à tous ses souhaits. Il lui construit alors un magnifique château de cristal qu’elle seule, ainsi que sa cour, pourra voir. De cette manière, alors que Merlin doit une nouvelle fois quitter son amie, la jeune fille sera en sécurité pendant son absence.

Mais, avant qu’il s’en aille, la belle Viviane fait promettre à Merlin qu’à son retour, il lui apprendra le sort qui emprisonne les hommes à jamais. Merlin accepte et part retrouver le roi Arthur pour lui prodiguer ses derniers conseils. Il lui annonce ensuite qu’il souhaite retourner définitivement vivre à Brocéliande où la belle jeune Viviane l’attend avec impatience.

À son retour, Viviane, encore plus heureuse de retrouver son ami, lui rappelle la promesse qu’il lui a faite. L’enchanteur lui dévoile le sortilège d’emprisonnement quand il tombe soudainement dans un profond sommeil. À son réveil, il se retrouve dans un endroit fabuleux, mais clôturé d’une paroi d’air infranchissable. Viviane qui se trouve à ses côtés lui explique tendrement qu’ils sont à tout jamais réunis et qu’il lui appartient comme elle lui appartient. C’est ainsi que par amour, Merlin, le plus puissant magicien de toute la Bretagne renonce à sa liberté.

Aujourd’hui, il est toujours possible de trouver dans la forêt de Brocéliande, en Bretagne, des rochers appelés « le tombeau de Merlin ». La légende veut que l’enchanteur vive encore dans cette prison magique, que personne ne peut voir.

Saint Jean, Compte de (1818-1899). Merlin. Paris, 1872.