Our joint project, Waves of Knowledge, Drops of Change, invites all partners to contribute to a shared collection that highlights the rich cultural heritage connected to water in each community. Each partner school will write a story inspired by local traditions, legends, or experiences related to rivers, lakes, seas, or rain, and illustrate a story from another partner school, using drawing, collage, or digital art.

This eBook celebrates our strengths in intercultural collaboration and our shared curiosity about the world’s diverse water-related traditions. It invites readers to embark on a journey through the unique and captivating stories of our partner schools, discovering how water shapes cultures, memories, and daily life across different countries.

Preview audio:

storyj.mp/afyk3c8bdvi4

Proiectul nostru comun, Waves of Knowledge, Drops of Change, invită toate școlile partenere să contribuie la o colecție comună care evidențiază bogata moștenire culturală legată de apă din fiecare comunitate. Fiecare școală parteneră va scrie o poveste inspirată de tradițiile locale, legende sau experiențe legate de râuri, lacuri, mări sau ploaie și va ilustra o poveste de la o altă școală parteneră, folosind desen, colaj sau artă digitală.

Acest eBook celebrează punctele noastre forte în colaborarea interculturală și curiozitatea noastră comună față de diversele tradiții legate de apă din lume. El invită cititorii să pornească într-o călătorie prin poveștile unice și fascinante ale școlilor partenere, descoperind cum apa modelează culturi, amintiri și viața de zi cu zi în diferite țări.

Teachers involved ( Profesori implicați) :

* Ana Suciu- Secondary School „Patrichie Popescu” Bata ROMANIA

* Monica Damiean- Secondary School „Patrichie Popescu” Bata Romania

*Emine Ünlü Tokgöz Students Ahmet and Kutalmış Erdemli Science and Art Center

*Matea Josić - Osnovna škola Vugrovec - Kašina, Croatia, Zagreb

*Zeynep Büşra Özdil - Emine Taşkent Primary School, Turkey, Ankara

* Justyna Gejdel - Sports Primary School No. 75 Gdańśk, Poland

*Ecaterina Procopii - IP Gimnaziul„Anatolie Sîrghi”, satul Talmaza, Rep. Moldova

*Konstantina Karagiannidou - Primary school of Oreini Zoni, Greece, Zakynthos

*Aliona Rotari - Școala Primară-Grădinița „ABECELUȘ”, Republica MOLDOVA

*Hazal Çelik - Şehit Karayılan Primary School, Gaziantep, Türkiye

Matea Josić, Primary School

Vugrovec - Kašina, Zagreb, Croatia

*Matea Josić, Primary School

Vugrovec - Kašina, Zagreb, Croatia

Matea Josić, Primary School

Vugrovec - Kašina, Zagreb, Croatia

Matea

Matea Josić, Primary School

Vugrovec - Kašina, Zagreb, Croatia

Josić, Primary School

Vugrovec - Kašina, Zagreb, Croatia

Matea Josić, Primary School

Vugrovec - Kašina, Zagreb, Croati

   Legend of the Danube

  Long ago, when no humans lived on Earth, the Moon fell in love with the Sun. Every day she appeared before him in a silver dress embroidered with shining lights. But the Sun did not notice her beauty, for his heart belonged to a tiny distant star named Danube, who loved him just as much.

When the Sun asked Danube to be his bride, the Moon darkened with sorrow and jealousy.

“I will make you pay, Sun! If you are not mine, you shall belong to no one!” she cried.

The Moon called three evil spirits and asked them for help.

On the day of the wedding, she smiled sweetly at the newlyweds, but behind her smile hid a terrible plan. As soon as the little star was alone, the Moon whispered:

“I curse you to suffer as I do and never enjoy your beloved Sun!”

The three spirits seized Danube and cast her down from the sky into a dark forest in the Black Forest Mountains. There she turned into a deep, cold lake, hidden from the Sun’s sight.

Danube cried day and night until a kind fairy heard her.

“Who are you, and why do you weep?” the fairy asked.

“I was once a star! The Moon cursed me because the Sun loved me. Please, help me see him again!”

Moved by her sorrow, the fairy transformed Danube into a river, flowing eastward—toward the place where the Sun rises. She also created many small rivers to guide Danube and make her stronger as she travelled.

Since then, the Danube has flowed ever forward, growing mightier and mightier, until at last she reaches the great sea, where every morning, for a brief moment, she meets her beloved Sun again.

The End

Written by: Ana Suciu

Secondary School ,, Patrichie Popescu” Bata, Romania

Illustration by Hazal Çelik- Şehit Karayılan Primary School

Gaziantep, Türkiye

The Night the Criș Alb Overflowed

It was a rainy winter, and the Criș Alb River had swollen from the heavy rains. One night, the water overflowed and began to flow over gardens and orchards, like shiny snakes slithering across the land. The villagers watched in fear: strange shadows seemed to dance in the waves hitting their houses.

Some tried to cross, but the water was too strong. The elders said, “Those who respect the river, who do not throw trash and do not fish on holidays, will be safe.” So the villagers stayed close to their homes, tied their animals, and waited.

In the morning, the village looked as if a battle had taken place: roads were muddy, orchards flooded. But the people helped each other, built levees, and cleaned the riverbanks. The Criș Alb slowly receded, and the villagers learned that rivers are powerful and unpredictable, but with care and respect, they can live in harmony with them.

Written by Monica Damiean, Secondary School „Patrichie Popescu” Bata Romania

The Criş Alb River in Romania

Illustrated by Emine Ünlü Tokgöz Students Ahmet and Kutalmış Erdemli Science and Art Center

The Legend of the Dniester River
It is said that long ago, in the lands where the Dniester River flows today, there lived a young shepherd named Nistor, renowned for his kindness and courage. The village where he lived was located in a fertile valley, but the people feared drought, because the spring that brought them water dried up more and more often.
In an incredibly hot summer, the spring stopped altogether. The thirsty animals died, and the people looked helplessly to the sky. Then the village old woman told Nistor an ancient prophecy:
— “To the one with a pure heart, the earth will listen and give birth to water again.”
Determined to save his people, Nistor set off for the mountains, where legends said that the Spirit of Stone, the guardian of underground waters, lives. After a difficult journey, the young man arrived at the foot of an immense rock. He struck the rock with his staff and said:
— “I do not ask for water for myself, but for all who live in peace.”
The Spirit of the Rock appeared from the cold light of the rock and spoke to him:
— “You have courage, Nistor, but for me to open the waters you must pay a price: stay here and watch over the spring forever.”
The young man did not hesitate.
Then the earth shook, the rock split in two, and from the depths a powerful stream gushed out. The waters began to flow, to overflow over the hills, to carry life and coolness far, towards the sea.
The people of the village could no longer find Nistor. In the place where he struck the rock, it is said that a face of a young man carved by time can still be seen today. And the river that brought them back to life was named Nistru, in honor of the shepherd who gave his life for the good of all.
Since then, legend has it that when the waves of the Nistru shine in the sunlight, it is the smile of Nistor, who still watches over the water and people today.

The Water Sprite of the Sava

The Sava was not always the river we know today.

Now it flows wide and calm, but long ago it knew how to whisper the names of those who came too close.

When the fog would fall and the willows along the bank began to rustle as if they were plotting something, the elders would say:

“Children, stay away from the water. The Water Sprite is awake.”

No one ever saw him clearly.

They say he appeared only in reflections — in water that suddenly stilled, in circles that opened on their own, in the darkness beneath the surface.

The Water Sprite lived where the Sava was deepest. In bottomless whirlpools, beneath sunken trees and stones covered in moss. He was as old as the river itself. He was neither entirely evil nor kind — he was a guardian of the boundary.

The boundary between the shore and the depths.

Between breath and silence.

It is said that long ago he had been human. A miller, or a fisherman, or a child who trusted the water too much. When the Sava took his name, it gave him a new body — cold and slow, woven from silt,

reeds, and darkness. His eyes glimmered like moonlight shattered in water.

The Water Sprite listened to the river.

And the river remembers everything.

It remembers children’s laughter, and the heavy footsteps of those who come with bad intentions. It remembers stones thrown in anger and tears that fall without a sound. When someone approached the water without respect, when they walked the bank as if it belonged to them, the Sava would grow restless — and the Water Sprite would awaken.

He did not shout.

He did not run.

The water would simply pull back a little… and a hand would appear.

Long and pale, with fingers like roots. It would draw down those who forgot how to listen to the river. Those who mocked the warnings. Those who believed water was only water.

But children… children were not always taken.

Sometimes, he whispered to them.

One child, they say, heard him one evening while sitting on the bank with their feet in the Sava. The fog

was thick, the world quiet. From the water rose a voice, deep and slow:

“Go home before nightfall.”

The child obeyed.

And the river remained calm.

Another child threw stones into the water out of boredom, laughing at the ripples spreading wide. Then the water fell silent, and something shifted beneath the surface. It did not rise. Only the shadow deepened. The child felt a coldness in their chest and ran away.

From that day on, they never threw stones into the river again.

In time, people forgot the story. Bridges came, lights, noise. But the Water Sprite did not leave. He merely withdrew into deeper waters. He waits for those who forget that rivers are not just pathways of water, but living beings.

Even today, if you stand by the Sava at dusk and the water suddenly grows too still — do not stare into the depths for too long.

If you see your reflection begin to twist…

if you feel something watching you from below…

Step away slowly.

Greet the river.

And carry the story with you.

For the Water Sprite does
not fear the fearless —

but he respects those
who know how to listen.

Legend of Water Spirit from Sava is written

by Matea Josić, Primary School

Vugrovec - Kašina, Zagreb, Croatia

Illustration by: Zeynep Busra Ozdil, Emile Taskent Primary School, Ankara, Turkey

The legend of the Romanian Dambovita River

A Legend of Love Born at the Foot of the Mountains

Dâmbovița was the daughter of a poor but wise woodcutter who raised her alone after the death of his wife. Although he had no fortune, his daughter was the old man's greatest treasure. They lived in the forest at the foot of the mountains, in a world where magic and reality intertwined.

Not far away lived the shepherd Bucur, known to all for his diligence and kindness. Their childhood encounters sparked a special bond that gradually blossomed into pure and sincere love.

One restless night, a stranger appeared at the woodcutter's door. He asked for shelter and help to reach the mountain peak, from where, he claimed, he could escape the bandits pursuing him.

The old man, weakened by age and work, no longer had the strength to accompany him. Therefore, Dâmbovița offered him guidance. Her courage and kindness proved stronger than his fear of the unknown.

The journey along the steep paths was not easy. At the summit, the stranger confessed that he had fallen in love with her. He promised her wealth, a castle, and a carefree life if she agreed to marry him.

Her refusal revealed the truth: the stranger was not a prince, but a mountain spirit, a powerful being who wanted to test her loyalty.

Amazed by Dâmbovița's courage and fidelity, the mountain spirit gave her two mysterious gifts: a doll and a knife. He told her that sooner or later these gifts would come in handy. Then he disappeared, leaving the girl alone.

The girl did not return for a long time, and her beloved

Bucur set out to search for her.

When he found Dâmbovița, he was overcome with jealousy. Seeing the knife in her hand, he thought she had betrayed him and wanted to kill him. This misunderstanding seemed poised to destroy their love. Desperate, Bucur asked her to strike the knife against a stone. He said that if she was truly pure, the stone would split.

Fearlessly, Dâmbovița granted his request. And a miracle occurred: the stone cracked, and a pure spring gushed forth. Thus was born a river that would forever bear the girl's name – Dâmbovița. The girl did not return for a long time, and her beloved

At that moment, Bucur understood the truth. Their love was stronger than doubt. With tears in his eyes, he begged her forgiveness and understood that they were destined to be together.

A doll, given to him by the mountain spirit, was left on that rocky peak. From then on, the mountain was called "Păpușa" (Doll), a reminder of the innocence and purity of Dâmbovița's soul.

The two young lovers married, and their love became the foundation of a small settlement.

Over time, an entire city grew out of this settlement – today's capital of Romania: Bucharest, the city of the shepherd Bucur, cut by the waters of the Dâmbovița River.

The legend of the Romanian river Dambovita was prepared by students of Primary School No. 75 from ZSSIMS, Gdańsk, Poland.

Teacher Justyna Gejdel

Legend of the Aegean Sea

A long time ago, in ancient Greece, there lived King Aegeus, the ruler of Athens. He had a brave and strong son named Theseus. In those days, Athens was obliged to send young men as a sacrifice every year to the island of Crete, where the terrifying Minotaur lived, a creature with the body of a man and the head of a bull.Theseus decided to put an end to this suffering and offered to go to Crete to kill the monster.

Before leaving, Aegeus asked his son for a sign:– If you return alive, hoist white sails on the ship; if you perish, the sails will remain black.With the help of Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, who gave him a magic thread, Theseus managed to get out of the labyrinth after defeating the Minotaur. However, on the way back, he forgot to exchange the black sails for white ones.King Aegeus, waiting for his son on the shore, saw the ship with black sails and, believing that Theseus had died, threw himself into the sea in despair. From that moment on, the sea received his name and was called the Aegean Sea, in memory of the king who loved his son above all else.

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"Traditions and stories near water"

Name: Traditions and stories near water
Author: Matea Josic

Matea Josic, Ana Suciu, Ecaterina Procopii, Emine Tokgöz, Hazalcelik24, Justyna Gejdel, Laura Iordache, Maria Damiean, Matea Josic, MorteciuElen, Rotari Aliona, Sema Cosar, Zeyzeynep, despoinalevidi, konstkarag, makamarjanidze

waves of knowledge, drops of change

(39 pages)

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