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.

Devil's Bridge

LEGEND

Main element: Earth

Language of the original: Italian

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

The legend of the Devil’s Bridge is really popular and spread worldwide. In Piedmont, and elsewhere in Northern Italian regions, there are many bridges imputed to the Devil’s doings. Dronero and Lanzo Torinese are the two main towns known for such story.
Usually these kind of stories are born because people need to explain to themselves the failure. Finding just rational reasons could not satisfy them: for example, think about the breakdown of the gothic Cathedrals that are to be re-built.

The town of Dronero, in the region of Piedmont, is built on the banks of the River Maira which gave the valley its name. But for many years there was no bridge over the river and the inhabitants badly needed one.

Over the centuries the town got bigger. Proportionally its wealth was getting bigger too. So, the inhabitants decided to build a nice bridge. They employed an architect who started to build it in the spring: all were enthusiastic, but when in autumn, the bridge was almost finished, it collapsed. The architect was cast out and another one was employed, more illustrious and more competent, but sadly the same thing happened. It was decided to call in a professional from abroad, from Paris, but this did not help! That bridge would not stand either.

The local priest, walking towards the church, was thinking, thinking and thinking, asking himself if the devil had a hand in this. And right then he showed up: Satan in person!

The two started to discuss the repeated collapses of the bridge and the devil proposed a deal: he would allow the bridge to be completed if the first living soul to cross it became his property.

The inhabitants of Dronero, people of common sense, accepted the devil’s deal. Soon, a beautiful bridge had been built, and now the deal had to be honoured. The devil stood on the opposite bank of the river, waiting for his reward. The priest, who was standing on the other river bank, had a piece of cheese in his hands. He threw it over the bridge. A hungry old dog ran to eat it it and was the first living soul to cross the bridge. The devil understood that he had been cheated, but the contract had to be honoured. So, the devil made the dog’s soul his and disappeared.

The bridge is still there today, to the joy of the townspeople.

Il ponte del Diavolo

LEGGENDA

Elemento: Terra

Lingua originale: Italiano

Per avere ulteriori informazioni sulla leggenda, accedi alla piattaforma 4elements da qui.

Il paese di Dronero, in Piemonte, era (ed è ancora) attraversato dal fiume Maira che dà il nome alla valle. Sul fiume però non c’era un ponte e stava diventando sempre più necessario per gli abitanti averne uno.

Man mano che il paese si ingrandiva, nei secoli, aumentò anche la ricchezza e gli abitanti decisero di costruire un bel ponte. Chiamarono quindi un architetto che in primavera diede il via ai lavori: tutti erano entusiasti, ma quando il ponte fu quasi finito, nell’autunno, ci fu un terribile crollo. L’architetto fu cacciato e ne venne chiamato un altro, più illustre e competente, ma la triste storia si ripeté. Si decise di chiamare un professionista dall’estero, da Parigi, ma nulla! Questo ponte proprio non voleva star su!

Il parroco, camminando verso la chiesa, pensa, pensa e pensa e si domanda se in tutta questa storia non ci fosse lo zampino del Diavolo. Ed ecco che davanti gli compare Satana in persona!

I due iniziarono a discutere sul perché di questi crolli e il Diavolo fece la sua richiesta: lui avrebbe lasciato costruire e finire il ponte se la prima anima a passarci sopra fosse stata sua.

Gli abitanti di Dronero sono gente pratica e accettano la proposta del Diavolo. In poco tempo viene costruito un bellissimo ponte, ma ora bisogna rispettare il patto. Il diavolo è da un lato e aspetta la sua ricompensa. Dall’altra parte del ponte il parroco ha in mano un pezzo di formaggio, lo lancia, ed ecco che un vecchio cane randagio affamato corre per papparselo attraversando il ponte. Il Diavolo capisce di essere stato ingannato, ma i patti sono stati rispettati e gli tocca prendere l’anima del cane e scomparire.

Il ponte invece è ancora lì oggi, per la gioia degli abitanti.

Dutto A. (curated by) (2002), ieranavolta, storie, leggende, favole della tradizione piemontese, ArabaFenice editore, Boves.