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.

Moon Extinguishers

LEGEND

Main element: Fire

Language of the original: Dutch

Date of origin: 1687

Origin of the legend: The city of Mechelen in the 17th century

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

"Moon Extinguishers" is a term for the people of Mechelen that has been around since 1687.

It is said that on 27th January 1687, St Rumbold’s Tower was shrouded in a heavy winter mist. A none-too-sober local man noticed that the tower was ablaze with a reddish misty glow. He immediately raised the alarm and as the story goes the whole city was suddenly in a state of confusion. The mayor was soon organising the fire-fighting process. Buckets of water were being passed from hand to hand and then taken up the tower stairway. Yet before people had reached the top of the tower, the moon slipped through the haze and disappeared. The locals realised then that the reddish glow was not a fire but the moon. Between them, they agreed not to share the happenings of that night. Alas, the news soon spread across Flanders, whereupon the people of Mechelen became known as “Moon Extinguishers” even to this day. A brewery decided to brew an easily drinkable city beer with just enough pep for the people of Mechelen. The Maneblusser is a light beer with an alcohol percentage of 5.8% vol. in which you can taste a subtle citrus aroma and a fine finish. It is brewed according to the traditional method of high fermentation.

Maneblussers

LEGENDE

Element: Vuur

Originele taal: Nederlands

Datum van ontstaan: 1687

Oorsprong van de legende: The city of Mechelen in the 17th century

Om meer informatie te vinden over de legende, ga langs deze weg naar het 4elements platform.

Volgens schrijvers gebeurde het in de nacht van 27 januari 1687. Die nacht was het volle maan en hingen de wolken laag. Een man die uit een café kwam, dacht dat de toren in brand stond en sloeg onmiddellijk alarm. Buren, uit hun diepste slaap opgeschrikt, deden hun ramen open en zagen hetzelfde! Al snel stond de hele stad in rep en roer en werd de noodklok geluid. Het stadsbestuur, de burgemeester op kop, liep naar de plaats van het onheil en begon heel snel de bluswerken te organiseren. Langs de torentrap gingen emmers water als een ketting van hand tot hand, maar nog vóór de top werd bereikt, schoof de maan door de nevel en moesten de moedige Mechelaars toegeven dat ze alleen maar de rossige nevelgloed van de maan hadden gezien. Het maanlicht scheen door de ramen van de kathedraal en de lage bewolking hing naast de klokkenramen in de St.-Romboutstoren. Zo leek het dat er rook uit de toren kwam. Hoewel ze hebben geprobeerd de zaak stil te houden, konden de Mechelaars niet verhinderen, dat er zelfs over de landsgrenzen hartelijk om werd gelachen. De spotnaam Manenblussers zouden de Mechelaars voor altijd hebben.

Author, Dimitri Goosens. 2015-12-18. Fans of Flanders: once upon a time: Maneblussers.