The Olt and the Mures

Mureș The The Olt Olt andand thetheMureș

“Tell me a story, we will be friends”

The Olt and the Mures Romanian Legend

Oltul și Mureșul Legendă românească

Translated into English by pupils from class 6A, Andreea Ionică, Bianca Antofie, Bogdan Mitrache, Erika Moise, Florin Moiceanu, Florinel Niculae, Ioana Prunache, Olivia Ghica, Silvia Constantin, Valentin Manole, Școala gimnazială „Matei Basarab” Târgoviște – Romania Tradusă în engleză de elevi de la clasa a VI-a A Școala gimnazială „Matei Basarab” Târgoviște – România

Drawings by/Desene de: Paula Ioniță – Bianca, class 6C

Coordinator/Coordonator: Elisabeta – Luise Mihălăchioiu

February 2013 © Școala gimnazială „Matei Basarab” Târgoviște - Romania

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The Olt and the Mureș

Once upon a time when stories were born, there was a proud two-towered fortress on a mountain top. There had been living for a long time an emperor, his wife and their twin sons who were very much alike. Though they physically resembled very much, the two had so very different natures that they began quarrelling for nothing, fighting and struggling so hard that the ground was shaking.

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The Olt and the Mureș

When the twins grew up, the emperor left the fortress with all his army to go fighting and he never came back. He died far away during a cruel battle. Then the empress kept asking herself all the time: 'What will I do with my naughty sons? They fight all the time, though we built each of them a tower to live in. Mureș lives in the northern tower, Olt in the southern one. They are grown-up, old enough to get married. It’s a shame they don't get on with each other like brothers.'

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The Olt and the Mureș

One day, Mureș, calmer and wiser, told Olt: 'Brother Olt, our mother keeps crying after out father, the emperor of this land. Let’s do something about this!' 'I’m saying, brother Mureș, to give up quarrels and meanness and to set off to find our father. Who knows what forest he may be lying wounded in or what prison he may be lying enchained into, while we have been staying here quarrelling.'

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The Olt and the Mureș

They went to their mother and told her about their decision. Hearing them talking like this, she cried with grief, but also with joy because her sons were brave and courageous but they were to leave the parental home and she was afraid of losing them. So, she told them tenderly: 'So be it, my sons. Go searching for the emperor, but always keep together.'

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The Olt and the Mureș

As soon as the two princes left, they started quarrelling about which way to take as they were of different nature by birth. 'Let’s go north!' said Mureș. 'Rather not! Let’s go south!' said Olt.

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The Olt and the Mureș

After quarrelling for a long time, they decided: 'I grew up in the northern tower, so I’m going north!' said Mureș. 'I grew up in the southern tower, so I’m going south!' answered Olt. They split. Mureș, the slow-natured twin, headed north, while Olt, the fast-natured twin, rushed to the south.

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The Olt and the Mureș

After some time, Mureș began to miss his brother: 'Although we used to quarrel, we still care about each other as we are brothers. Mother asked us to keep together. I’m going back to find my brother!' In a valley, Mureș turned south, but he could not find Olt. He got lost and headed west, crossing such beautiful fields that he forgot about his twin brother.

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The Olt and the Mureș

The empress received news from her messengers: 'Even from the gate, you Almighty Empress, Olt and Mureș began to quarrel and split'. She began to cry and pray for her sons to be saved: 'Lord, please, guide my sons’ steps. Dear Lord, do something for my sons not to die!' Lord listened to her pray and He turned the two princes into immortal rivers. And so are they today: the MUREȘ and the OLT. © Școala gimnazială „Matei Basarab” Târgoviște - Romania

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The Olt and the Mureș

The Mureș flows slowly towards the field hoping to find his brother after many windings. People sing about him this way: 'Mureș, Mureș, slow water, Take me to foreign land And help me rest.'

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The Olt and the Mureș

The fast and naughty Olt runs hitting the mountain rocks, frantically turning them over, foaming and bleeding at the Red Tower. People sing about him this way: 'Olt, damn’ river, You became deeper and bigger And you run foaming And bleeding.'

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The Olt and the Mureș

LLP, Comenius sub-programme, eTwinning action

“Tell me a story, we will be friends” registered on 4.10.2012

Partners: 1. Pinelopi Vasiliou, 1o Dimotiko sholeio Obrias, Patra, Greece 2. Elisabeta-Luise Mihălăchioiu, Școala gimnazială „Matei Basarab”, Târgoviște, Romania 3. Agnès Roux, École Primaire Saint André les Alpes, St. André les Alpes, France 4. Ahmet Ova, Karapinar İlköğretim Okulu, Karasu, Turkey 5. Libuše Kolínková, Základní škola Emila Zátopka, Zlín, Czech Republic This publication was created with the ﬁnancial support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union. This publication reﬂects the views only of the authors and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. © Școala gimnazială „Matei Basarab” Târgoviște - Romania

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