The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl

In the quiet fields of ancient China, a humble cowherd named Niulang lived a simple life with only his faithful ox for company. Unknown to him, the ox was once a celestial being, sent to earth as punishment. Seeing Niulang’s gentle heart and loneliness, the ox revealed a secret. “Go to the river beyond the forest,” it said, “where seven maidens from Heaven descend to bathe. Among them is Zhinü, the Weaver Girl who spins clouds into silk. Take her robe, and she will stay with you.” Following the ox’s words, Niulang met Zhinü, and love bloomed between them. They married, raised two children, and lived in joy beneath the mortal sky. But the Queen Mother of Heaven, angered that her daughter had wed a man of earth, summoned Zhinü back to the heavens. Desperate, Niulang donned his ox’s magical hide and chased her through the clouds, only for the Queen Mother to strike a river of stars between them—the Milky Way. Yet love could not be silenced. Each year, magpies form a bridge across the stars so they may meet again, their reunion lighting the night sky with hope everlasting.