EL DIA DE SANT JORDI - SAINT JORDI ’S DAY

The ground of this festivity is Sant Jordi’s Legend (Saint George’s Legend)
Catalan people has started to worship Sant Jordi from the Xth century.

A legendary knight rescued a maid from the dragon. According to the legend, this happened in the town of Montblanc, in Catalonia.
Five hundred years later Sant Jordi became the Saint Patron of Catalonia.

Probably the same legend is popular in other countries, but what makes the difference is the way we celebrate this festivity in Catalonia.

In our country, Sant Jordi’s day is the day of ROSES and BOOKS.
The rose stands for love, so we consider the festivity as the day of love.
Sant Jordi’s day is celebrated on the 23th of April. In 1616, in the same day, died Cervantes, an important writer. So, we also celebrate the book’s date by displaying stands full of roses and books to be sold.

Why do people buy so many roses? As a Love’s day, traditionally men give a red rose (only one) to their most loved women: mothers, grand mothers, wives, girlfriends...

Women usually give a book to their loved men.


It is very nice to have a walk in the main streets of catalan towns and cities on Sant Jordi’s Day. There are plenty of people walking, buying books and roses......

Catalan Flags are displayed around: in the houses’ balconies, in the stands, in the official buildings...

Sant Jordi’s Day is a very special date also for the schools. Pupils do different activities related to Sant Jordi’s Legend. They can read the legend, performing and playing.

In our school this festivity is always celebrated.
Last year, every group of children made a handcraft dragon. All the dragons met at the playground: animals and pupils danced together.

We also use to display some stands full of books to be sold to children. The books are suitable to their age or level.

Our pupils also make handcraft roses to give to their mothers. Every year teachers choose a nice pattern to make their beautiful roses.

Our children usually have breakfast all together with bread, chocolate and some juice.

Every year we celebrate Sant Jordi’s Day in a different way, sometimes like making literature concerts, writing and reading poems, stories…It is always a very nice day to celebrate at schools.

SANT JORDI’S LEGEND

Once upon a time, in a far away country, there were a small village and on the top of a hill a wonderful castle.
In the castle lived the King, the Queen and their beautiful daughter, the Princess.

One day, an evil dragon went to the village.
That beast was the ugliest thing that men has ever seen; it could walk, swim and fly.
The dragon killed and swallowed everything it came across: flocks of sheep, bulls, horses and even men, women and children. It destroyed also houses and crops...

As the citizens wanted to stop all the damage, they decided to give the dragon two sheep everyday. When the citizens ran out of sheep, they gave it bulls, horses and other animals.
But one day, they ran out of animals. For preventing the dragon from killing everybody, they decided to give it everyday, through a raffle, a person to eat.
One unlucky day was chosen the King’s daughter. He didn’t have any other daughter, so he was desperate. He didn’t want to give his daughter to the dragon, but the people of the village asked him to behave like all the other citizens.

Therefore, they brought the princess to the dragon.
But when the dragon opened its nasty mouth to eat her, St. Jordi appeared while he was riding a white horse.
After a hard fight, St Jordi killed the dragon with his spear.

From the dragon’s blood some red roses grew. St. Jordi took one and gave it to the Princess as a love sign.
Everybody was so happy.
People shouted: Long life to St. Jordi!

St. Jordi left the village on his white horse with a smile on his face.

This is a legend. Legends don’t need to be true. They only need to be beautiful.

THANKS TO SLOVENIA

The third week of April we had the oportunity to meet our Comenius partners in Slovenia.
We visited Gustava Siliha School in Laporje, a small village close to Slovenska Bistrica, in the North.
We learnt a lot about the school and the slovenian society.
The weather was nice and the landscape was beautifully Spring green.
The host organisation was always fantastic. We'd like to THANKS all the hosting people who gave us a warm welcome and showed us their wonderful home country.
THANKS again,
Francesca and Paquita
Catalonia

HAPPY EASTER!



Hen with an egg made by Julia Class 4b



World Book and Copyright Day celebrated in Przemyśl,Poland

World Book and Copyright Day celebrated in Przemyśl

In Przemyśl in “Niedźwiadek” club  pupils of Class 4b performed  a short  story about the origin of World Book Day. We explained why the event is connected with Catalonia and how it is celebrated nowadays. There was the Catalan flag on the table, rose for the woman and a book for the man.

The celebration was organized by local institutions : Zespół Samokształceniowy Bibliotekarzy Szkół Przemyskich and  PCKiN ZAMEK (School Librarians and Przemyśl Centre of Culture and Science). There were invited Teresa Paryna – a poet and Jacek Błoński – Przemyśl legend and history writer. The whole event was prepared and conducted by Jola Kawalec, our Art teacher and librarian. I am sure Paquita will write more about the legend and celebration in Artes - Catalonia so just a few pictures from us and a short film ( in Polish)

Leģenda par Wawel pūķi

(In Latvian)

Sensenos laikos Krakovā dzīvoja karalis Kraks ar savu skaisto meitu – princesi. Viņi dzīvoja lielā pilī Wawel kalnā blakus upei Vistula.

Pie kalna pamatnes bija ala. Alā bija briesmīgs, uguns spļaujošs pūķis.

Picture by Gracjan

Katru dienu Krakovas cilvēkiem vajadzēja viņu barot ar dzīvu kazu un aitu, tāpēc ka pūķis vienmēr bija izsalcis. Nabadzīgie cilvēki bija nobijušies un nelaimīgi tāpēc tie vērsās pie karaļa pēc palīdzības.

Kungs nolēma: “Drosmīgais bruņinieks, kurš nogalinās pūķi apprecēs manu meitu un saņems pusi karaļvalsts”.

Daudzi drosmīgi vīri nāca no tālu tālām zemēm un mēģināja cīnīties ar briesmoni, bet tas bija pārāk spēcīgs.

Karalis un cilvēki Krakovā bija ļoti bēdīgi un noraizējušies.

Vienu dienu nabadzīgs un jauns kurpnieks pieklauvēja pie pils vārtiem: “Jūsu Majestāt”, viņš teica. “Es varu nogalināt pūķi”.


Picture by Adrian



Viņš paņēma aitas ādu un piepildīja to ar darvu un sēru.

Nākamajā dienā viņš nolika “aitu” alas ārpusē.  Kad pūķis pamodās, viņš bija ļoti izsalcis un gribēja savas brokastis. Tas norija aitu un … notika kaut kas dīvains. Pūķis kļuva ļoti izslāpis un skrēja uz upi dzert ūdeni. Zvērs dzēra, dzēra un viņa kuņģis kļuva lielāks līdz tas pārsprāga – BUMS!!!

Pūķis pārsprāga kā balons!

 “Urrā, urrā!!!” sauca cilvēki. “Urrā kurpniekam!”

Nabadzīgais, bet gudrais kurpnieks apprecēja Princesi un saņēma pusi karaļvalsts.

Karalis un cilvēki visā Krakovā dzīvoja ilgi un laimīgi.

Picture by Gracjan

translated by Ieva Lapsina

Little Red Riding Hood

Roodkapje

In Holland Little Red riding hood is called “Roodkapje”. All the children know the song and the game about Red Riding Hood and the wolf.

The rules of the game are :

We select a Red Riding Hood and a wolf,  but beware, Little Red Riding Hood may not know who the wolf is. The children are standing in a circle and they sing the song of Little Red Riding Hood, while she is skipping around the circle. At the moment the children are singing “Watch out, here comes the wolf”, the wolf jumps up and tries to catch Little Red Riding Hood.

She can only escape from the wolf by taking his place in the circle.

The Dutch song: Zeg roodkapje waar ga je heen Zo alleen, zo alleen Zeg Roodkapje waar ga je heen Zo alleen Ik ga bij grootmoeder koekjes brengen In het bos, in het bos Ik ga bij grootmoeder koekjes brengen In het bos In het bos wonen de wilde dieren In het bos, in het bos In het bos wonen de wilde dieren In het bos Ben niet bang voor de wilde dieren Ben niet bang, ben niet bang Ben niet bang voor de wilde dieren Ben niet bang Ik zal eens zien of jij niet bang bent Ik zal eens zien, ik zal eens zien Ik zal eens zien of jij niet bang bent Ik zal eens zien Pas maar op daar komt de wolf Pas maar op, pas maar op Pas maar op daar komt de wolf Pas maar op...

The translation: Little Red Riding hood, where are you going to So alone, so alone Little Red Riding hood, where are you going to So alone I'm going to bring cookies to grandmother In the woods, the woods I'm going to bring cookies to grandmother In the woods In the woods are the wild animals In the woods, in the woods In the woods are the wild animals In the woods I’m not afraid of the wild animals I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid I’m not afraid of the wild animals I’m not afraid I will see if you're not afraid, I will see, I will see I will see if you're not afraid, I will see Watch out, here comes the wolf Watch out, Watch out Watch out, here comes the wolf Watch out....

The children of the 3rd grade of our school (7-years old) played and sang the story of Little Red Riding Hood.

We hope you will enjoy it.

Kind regards from the children of Oranje-Nassauschool Nijkerk.

LA LLEGENDA DEL DRAC DE WAWEL

( In Catalan )

Fa molts i molts anys, vivia a Krakovia el rei Krak amb la seva filla, la bonica  Princesa. Vivien en un gran Castell al capdamunt del Turó de Wawel, tocant al riu Vístula.

Al peu del turó hi havia una cova.  Allà, hi vivia un terrible drac que treia foc per la boca.



Dragon by Krzyś



Cada dia, la gent de Krakovia l’havia d’alimentar donant-li cabres i ovelles perquè el drac sempre estava afamat.

Els pobres vilatans estaven atemorits i infeliços; per tant, van demanar l’ajuda al rei.

Sa majestat va decidir:

-      El valent cavaller que mati el drac es casarà amb la meva filla la Princesa i obtindrà la meitat del regne.

Molts joves valents de tots els poblets del regne van acudir a la crida  i van intentar lluitar amb el monstre, però la bèstia era massa forta. El Rei i tota la gent de Krakovia estaven molt tristos i amoïnats.

Fins que un dia, un pobre Sabater va trucar la porta del Castell.

-      Sa Majestat   –va dir-.  Jo puc matar el drac.

No cal dir que el Rei el va escoltar amb gran atenció.

Aleshores, el noi va agafar una pell d’ovella i la va farcir amb sofre i quitrà. L’endemà,  va deixar “l’ovella” a fora de la cova del drac. Quan la bèstia es va despertar, tenia molta gana i volia esmorzar.

En veure l’ovella tan ben col.locada, se la va empassar de cop i… alguna cosa estranya va passar.  L’animal va tenir molta set i va córrer cap al riu per beure aigua.

Va començar a beure i beure, i el seu estómac es va inflar i inflar fins que va explotar.

–      Bang !  Bang !

El drac va explotar com un globus.

-      Visca,  visca ! - cridava la gent del poble. –Visca el Sabater !

Aleshores, el sabater, que era molt pobre però intel.ligent, es va casar amb la Princesa i va guanyar la meitat del regne.

Desde llavors,  el rei i tota la gent de Krakovia viuen en pau.

Llegenda de Krakovia (Polònia)

Traducció al català: Paquita Pascual



The statue of Wawel Dragon in Cracow next to the cave and the Wawel castle.
 photo by Ania



The legend of Wawel Dragon - Smok Wawelski

THE LEGEND OF WAWEL DRAGON

Once upon a time in Kraków there lived King Krak with his daughter beautiful Princess. They lived in a big castle on the top of Wawel Hill, next to the river Vistula.

 At the foot of the hill there was cave. In the cave there was a horrible, fire- breathing  dragon.

Every day people of Krakow had to feed it with some goats and sheep because the dragon was always hungry. Poor people were scared and unhappy and asked their king for help.

The King decided: “ The brave knight who kills the dragon will marry my daughter and get half of the Kingdom”

Many brave man from far away came and tried to fight the monster but it was too strong. The King and the people of Kraków were very sad and worried.

One day a poor, young shoemaker knocked at the castle gate

” Your Majesty”, he said. “I can kill the dragon”.

He took a sheep’s skin, stuffed it with tar and sulphur.

Next day he left “the sheep” outside the cave. When the dragon woke up, he was very hungry and wanted his breakfast. It swallowed the sheep greedily and… something strange happened. The dragon became very thirsty and ran to the river to drink some water. The beast drank and drank and its stomach grew bigger and bigger until it exploded - BANG!!! The dragon burst like a balloon.

 “Hurray, hurray !!!” shouted the people. “Hurray for the shoemaker!”

The poor but clever shoemaker married the Princess and got half of the Kingdom.

The King and all the people of Kraków lived happily ever after.

PHOTOS FROM THE PERFORMANCE

OUR PERFORMANCE - please have a look!

Written and translated by Gosia Łupicka

In prehistoric cave.

Pupils of Kindergarten in Dr Ferrer School in  Artés visited a cave where prehistoric men lived thousand years ago and they learned about their lives and customs. They prepared Powerpoint presentation which they would like to share.
Presentation: Jaskinia w Katalonii

To learn more about the cave they visited please go to:

http://www.covesdeltoll.com/prehistoric_caves_catalonia.htm

A video about our language day

This video was made by our pupils during our language day. Only the last part is in English, sorry, but I thought it might be interesting for you anyway.