Rapto de Europa

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CEIP RABINDRANATH TAGORE

9 th May EUROPE DAY

Let's be e-citizens

There was a time when the names of the continents still had not been decided. In the case of Europe, they chose this name for a curious reason, taken from Greek mythology.At one time the God Zeus was observing the world from his house on Mount Olympus, when he saw a Phoenician princess called Europa bathing in the sea with her friends. Zeus fell in love with her and decided he wanted her. However, as everyone was afraid of the Gods, he went down to the beach in the form of a beautiful white bull. It was not a normal bull, but a very tame and peaceful one.The princess Europa saw the beautiful bull on the sea shore and she approached it. It felt good to touch so she stroked its back before she mounted it as if it were a horse. In this moment the bull went into the sea with the princess holding onto its horns, and swam and swan very far, until they reached the magical island of Crete.Europa lived on this island, and for a long time no-one knew anything of her. Her family searched for her everywhere but nobody had seen her. Her friends told of how she went into the sea on the back of a white bull.

EUROPE

Europa´s family travelled half way around the world looking for her.“Have you seen Europa?” they asked desperately in every place they came to.But nobody had seen her. Her family went to Italy but heard nothing. Then to Croatia, Serbia and Spain, asking the same question. In turn, the people of these countries travelled to other countries nearby, also asking if anyone had seen the princess Europa.Many people asked how so many people could travel across the continent without finding any trace of the princess. The reason was that Crete was a magical island, and at that time nobody could go there because a bronze giant called Talos impeded the entrance to the island … but that´s another story for another day.Happy Europe Day!9th May 2017