Legend and landscape as elements of literary mediation. Fairies and pedagogy of the imaginary

The possibilities of literary mediation of the legendary landscape are analyzed based on a literary experience developed with primary school students in a natural space where a legend is linked (in particular, Barranc de l’Encantada in Planes, Alicante). The work places the relationship between legend, history and scientific thought and the distinction between stories and legends based on their marvelous or historical nature. The concepts of magical thinking, imagination and fantasy associated with children are treated, in the context of a pedagogy of the imaginary. For the analysis and understanding of the Enchanted legend, contextualising the medieval tales where seals and aquatic women appear, including Melusina and the subsequent stories that come from it. Common elements and survival of credibility and historicity are mentioned in the oral stories about Valencian fairies. Finally, elements of analysis of the concrete reception and literary creation of the legend are provided, based on the follow-up of the literary route and the interview with the teacher who has designed the best didactic device based on elements of literature of oral transmission associated to a territory.