Creative writing project. Our students have given the original story a twist and produced their own versions.

1. The Bridge of Arta with a twist.
Project work by students of Penteli Junior High
(3rd grade)
Introduction
There is a very popular folk poem which is called TheTheTheThe
Bridge of ArtaBridge of ArtaBridge of ArtaBridge of Arta which you might find familiar because it is
also common in other countries’ traditions.
After reading the poem, we worked in groups and made an
effort to “play” with good and bad. What if the bad person. What if the bad person. What if the bad person. What if the bad person
isn’t really so bad? What if one of the charactersisn’t really so bad? What if one of the charactersisn’t really so bad? What if one of the charactersisn’t really so bad? What if one of the characters of theof theof theof the
story chose to act in a different way? Could the outcome bestory chose to act in a different way? Could the outcome bestory chose to act in a different way? Could the outcome bestory chose to act in a different way? Could the outcome be
any different?any different?any different?any different?
All the stories here have been written by us. The first one is
the original story. The other four are different versions of
it. Our only rule was to keep the same place, characters and
original circumstances.

3. The Bridge of Arta (original story)The Bridge of Arta (original story)The Bridge of Arta (original story)The Bridge of Arta (original story)
Once upon a time , at the beautiful little village of Arta , 45
builders and 60 helping hands were trying to build a bridge on the
Arahthos river. But no matter how hard they were trying, the
bridge was demolished by itself every night.
Desperate as they were, the Chief-Builder and his assistants were
trying to find a drastic solution. Then, like a miracle a bird
showed up with human voice and came up with the only solution
which could stop the grudge. Unfortunately the solution was
very unpleasant as it was about the killing of Chief-Builders‘s
wife into the foundation of the bridge.
Heavy hearted, the head-builder asked the bird to convey a
message to his wife; to get ready and go to the bridge to meet him.
As the woman showed up, the head-builder saw her and his heart
crushed from sadness but he couldn’t do else thinking about the
possibility that the people living there would stand against him.
The workers tricked the Head- Builder’s wife and asked her to
find the ring of her husband which had fallen at the foundation
of the building. Tricked and willing to help, the woman went
down wrapped with a rope searching for the ring. But when she
realized that this was a trap a horrible curse came out of her
mouth which terrified the Chief-Builder.
Shocked as he was, the Head-Builder begged her to convert the
curse to wishes. At the end she did change her curse to wishes
because of the sympathy and love she felt for the villagers.

5. Version 1Version 1Version 1Version 1
Many years ago there was a bridge which couldn’t be built. The
tradition said that if someone wanted to build a building, they
should bury alive a human being.
There were thousands of people who tried to build the bridge
and they were desperate because they couldn’t achieve their goal.
One day, a little bird appeared out of the blue and said that they
should follow the tradition.
The architect said to the bird that it had to go quickly to his
wife and tell her that she should go immediately at his work.
When the bird arrived at the architect’s house, the woman was
getting ready in order to go to her husband. She was ready to
leave but suddenly the bell rang and her lover appeared.
The woman decided not to go to her husband but to stay with
the other man. After a few minutes, the bird went to the architect
and said to him what happened. The architect couldn’t believe it
and he decided to jump into the bridge so as to die. The woman
felt happy after what happened because she could live with her
secret lover.

7. Version 2Version 2Version 2Version 2
Many years ago there was a bridge in Arta which couldn’t be
built. In the morning the engineers were building the bridge but
in the night it was being demolished. Suddenly a bird came with
human voice and said to the architect : “Only if you built inside
the bridge your wife, then the bridge would be strong”.
When the architect realized what the bird said he was in a bad
mood and told to the bird to fly as fast as it can and ask her to
come as slowly as possible but the bird changed the message and
asked her to come as fast as possible. She went to the bridge and
saw the architect crying. She approached him and asked what
happen to him. “My ring fell into the foundations and I can’t
find it”, he said to her.
When she realized that her husband was upset because of this,
she was full of willingness to help. Immediately she came down
but she couldn’t find the ring. The builders and the architect were
throwing rocks as the message of the bird said.
Because of the wife's kindness the curse changed and suddenly in
her place appeared a pine tree. So the wife survived and from
then until now pines spring up near the bridges.

9. Version 3Version 3Version 3Version 3
Once upon a time a lot of workers were trying to build a bridge
over the river near the city of Arta, but the bridge every time they
were building it in a magic way at night it was destroyed by
itself. One day a bird showed up and said to them what they
should do in order to build the bridge without falling again.
The only solution was to build the wife of the master builder
inside the bridge. Then the master builder said to the bird to go
and say to his wife to come as slowly as she could. But the bird
changed the words and the woman came the faster she could. As
they were building the woman inside the bridge a spirit came out
and haunted the bridge. One day the master builder was sad
about what happened so he decided to go to the bridge and say to
his wife that he was sorry about his behavior. Suddenly the spirit
of the woman came out and grabbed him inside the bridge in order
to build him with her.
Since then nobody saw him again and nobody will ever do…

11. Version 4Version 4Version 4Version 4
For a long time we were trying to build a bridge at a river near
Arta. The master builder was doing his best to build the bridge
but even though we were trying hard we couldn’t make it.
During the day we were trying to build the bridge but every night
with no reason it was destroyed.
While I was having a talk with the master builder a bird came to
us and talked! It told us that if we wanted to build the bridge we
had to sacrifice the master builder’s wife. He had already taken
his decision, he was determined. He commands the bird to go and
call his wife to come to the bridge. The bird went to his wife and
told her that something terrible had happened and she had to go
there. When she heard that, she got ready and went there. When
she arrived she asked her husband what was going on and he told
her that he had dropped his ring in the foundations. Then his wife
offered to go find the ring. After she got down to the bridge the
master builder ordered us to throw stones on her. The woman got
aware of the situation and she started cursing. Even though I am
not as important as the master builder and my ideas don’t count
at all, I took the chance and ordered them to stop throwing stones
at her and I helped her to climb from the hole. She was very mad
at her husband and she was cursing. I asked her to stop it and
change it to blessings because it wasn’t her husband’s fault but
she didn’t. When the master builder’s wife left, he started yelling
and blaming me.
I had to leave the town because nobody would give me work ever
again. I never went back to my homeland and even now, I don’t
know if they finally found a way to build the bridge.

12. EpilogueEpilogueEpilogueEpilogue
After two months, the master builder visited the place where his
wife was murdered. He was desperate. It was midnight and he
had regretted. While he was wondering about the reasons he did
that, the spirit of his wife appeared.
We have 2 versions of what went on between them.
Version 1Version 1Version 1Version 1
Spirit:Spirit:Spirit:Spirit: I will never - ever forgive you about what you have done.
Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder: I do not believe my eyes...! My wife is here. Why
are you here ?
Spirit:Spirit:Spirit:Spirit: I want to know the reasons of my death.
Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder: I will explain everything because I have
regretted terribly what I've done.
Spirit:Spirit:Spirit:Spirit: So tell me.
Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder: I had two options, either to follow my heart, or
to carry out my duty.
Spirit:Spirit:Spirit:Spirit: But why didn't you follow your heart ? You deceived me!
Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder:Master Builder: I had to. I'm a master builder. I had to sacrifice
something, in order to accomplish my duty. When I learned about
it, I felt devastated. The whole village was urging me to build the
bridge. The bridge is very essential for the connection between the
two villages. It's not only you and me!
Spirit:Spirit:Spirit:Spirit: Thanks for not supporting our love. I will remember that
forever, but someday I will take my revenge!

13. Version 2Version 2Version 2Version 2
-Dear husband why did you kill me?
-I had no choice .I am very sorry about that.
-I want to learn everything.
- It is very difficult for me to express all the truth.
-You killed me. I think you should tell me the reason.
-In order to build the bridge, I had to kill my wife I didn’t want
to, but I had to.
-Yes, but if you loved me, you wouldn’t do it.
-I am so sorry…All the residents forced me to kill you and this is
why I lied to you. I am so sorry.
-Hmmm… Well I forgive you but I want you to do something.
Protect my brother and take care of him, because he is alone now.
-Ok, I will do it. Trust me. Thank you for your forgiveness.
-You're welcome. I have to leave now, goodbye.
THE ENDTHE ENDTHE ENDTHE END