Once upon a time, 
Two new stars 
appeared in heaven. 
Young and active, 
they met very often.

The boy was handsome, 
and the girl was pretty. 
The girl was bright, 
and the boy was witty. 

Attracted to each other, 
they were seen here and there. 
One day in the royal garden, 
they enjoyed fresh air.

The boy told a funny joke 
about elephant’s ears.
The girl could not stop laughing, 
and laughed to tears. 

The Goddess happened to be nearby, 
and at them she was mad: 
“The garden is a sacred place. 
Your laughing was so bad.” 

She ordered a punishment: 
send the boy to the earth: 
“Of taking care of farm cattle, 
he would only be worth.”

The girl was upset and begged, 
with her head bent: 
“It was me who committed a sin, 
while the boy is innocent.”

Goddess rudely interrupted her 
and made another order: 
“Detain her in the weaving room 
and let her be a weaver.”

The girl wanted to go along 
with the would-be cowherd.
“Compared with heaven, 
earth is rather preferred.” 

The girl’s begging, however, 
was not accepted. 
To stay separated from Cowherd, 
was her fate expected. 

The two stars, since then, 
were not seen in the sky. 
Wind blew with sorrow, 
sounding like to sigh.

Detained in the weaving room, 
she had a tight schedule. 
With a shuttle in her hand, 
she had to follow a rule. 

She was forced to weave 
costumes for all queens. 
She was supplied with all colors, 
red, yellow and green. 

She was not allowed to 
take a rest during the day. 
Only in the evenings, 
she had her own way. 

She missed Cowherd, but 
nothing about him she knew. 
“Where are you now? 
Do you miss me too? ”

She imagined in a chilly rain, 
everything looked dim. 
Particularly when he got wet, 
nothing could cheer him. 

She decided to make something 
that he could see. 
“That could cheer him up 
and that may remind him of me.” 

Since then, after daytime’s work, 
she had been busy. 
She began to weave a band 
that would look pretty. 

Red was the first choice, 
shining and vivid. 
But soon she thought 
more colors should be added. 

Then she used three more colors, 
yellow, green and blue.
The band became colorful, 
and was better for view. 

Finally she used three more colors, 
orange, purple and pink.
“Connecting the sky to the earth, 
the band could make a link.”

She weaved and weaved to make 
the band thousands of miles long, 
She knitted and knitted to make 
the band tough and strong. 

When the band was finished, 
she hung it against the sky.
The band quickly became a bow, 
and a rain just passed by. 

She stepped onto the rainbow, 
and went down to the ground. 
Hoping to meet Cowherd, 
she wandered all around. 

Unexpectedly she found a lake 
and was astonished by its pretty nature. 
“Such beautiful scenery can only be 
seen in a masterpiece picture! ”

“How nice it would be 
to swim in the lake! 
The water is so cool; 
I’ll take a good break.” 

Without hesitation, 
she dove into the water. 
She left her skirt on the bushes, 
and became an absorbed swimmer.

Cowherd was lonely, 
particularly in the evenings. 
He blew his bamboo flute 
with depressed feelings.

He missed Weaver, but 
nothing about her he knew.
“Where are you now? 
Do you miss me too? ”

He imagined she would escape 
from the forbidden heaven. 
To form a family with him, 
and enjoy the earth’s freedom. 

“It is far away from 
the Goddess’ administration. 
We will be completely out of 
her control and terrible oppression.” 

In his flute music, 
yearning for her was full. 
But his audience consisted 
of only an old bull. 

The bull was very smart, 
nodding at the music, 
As if he could understand 
his host’s lovesick. 

One late afternoon after a rain, 
suddenly appeared beautiful rainbow. 
Cowherd was excited, and wondered 
how the rainbow could grow. 

Never seeing rainbow before, 
Cowherd had a guess. 
“Weaver is the only one in heaven 
who could do this.” 

The bull was excited, too, 
and showed a gesture of “let’s go”.
They ran toward the rainbow, 
a wonder they would like to know. 

Gradually the rain stopped, 
and it was almost dark.
A new moon came up 
to replace the colorful arc.

They saw a beautiful lake, 
shinning in the moon light. 
Amid the lake waves, 
a swimmer was in their sight. 

The pink skirt on the bush implied 
that a girl was in the water.
“Maybe she happens to be Weaver; 
and I’d like to meet her on the corner.”

In his recollection, 
Weaver liked to dress in pink.
“How nice if she is Weaver! ” 
He was so happy to think.

He picked up the skirt, 
and hid himself behind trees.
“From here, who she is, 
I can better see.” 

Having enjoyed swimming 
in the wonderful evening, 
Weaver was surprised 
to find her clothes missing. 

“Very strangely my skirt is 
out of my eyesight. 
But I am pretty sure 
this is my undressing site.”

At this moment 
she sensed someone nearby.
“Come out, please. 
You are keeping my dress, but why? ”

Realizing that the swimmer 
was his beloved Weaver, 
Cowherd ran out toward her 
and warmly hugged her.

Surprisingly, Weaver saw 
her beloved Cowherd here.
“How nice to find you here! ” 
She uttered a cheer. 

Soft breeze appended a charm 
to the beautiful night. 
They started to kiss each other 
in the soft moon light.

“Forget the Goddess, Weaver, and 
let her be damned. 
Marry me, my sweetheart. 
No one we would offend.”

Seeing worries in her face, 
Cowherd encouraged her: 
“I’ll plough and you’ll weave. 
Nothing could be happier.”

After thinking for a while, 
Weaver agreed to marry him.
They started a family life, 
so happy they had never been. 

In the field crops grew, 
nodding in soft breeze. 
At home cloth was woven, 
shining in shadows of trees. 

Leisure times the flowers watched
their joyful strolling. 
Evenings the candlelight listened to 
their affectional talking. 

In the following spring, 
she gave birth to twin babies. 
Cowherd’s flute was full 
of sweet melodies. 

Of the two small babies, 
the bull was a good friend.
His mooing, full of affection, 
they could comprehend.

The Goddess was extremely busy, 
but very sharp to know everything. 
Among all the stars, 
she found Weaver missing. 

Soon she knew that Weaver 
vanished for quite a while. 
She was very angry 
and wanted to do something hostile. 

Heaven soldiers were sent out 
in a speedy way, 
“Weaver was never allowed, 
on the earth to stay.” 

Cowherd was farming in the field, 
singing a folk song. 
Suddenly it was windy 
and the sunshine was gone. 

Concerned about his family 
he hurried back home.
He was shocked to see children 
crying at the step stone. 

With the armed soldiers, 
Weaver was struggling. 
They brought her up 
and she was vanishing.

It was so urgent, and Cowherd did not know 
what he should do. 
The bull suddenly talked in human language, 
instead of making moos. 

“Take the horns off my head, 
and they will be a pair of magic shoes.
They will carry you to heaven. 
This is the only way you can choose.” 

Cowherd loved the bull so much, 
and was not willing to do so. 
“The horns are on your body. 
How could I just take them and go? ” 

Seeing Cowherd hesitating, 
the bull shouted at him: 
“Children will die without their mom. 
Catch Weaver to save them.” 

He loved his wife, 
he loved his children.
He loved the bull, 
but a decision has to be taken. 

The bull took a sudden action: 
He dashed onto a stone wall.
Horns were torn off his head, 
and he died just outside his stall. 

Cowherd picked up the horns, 
with tears running down his face. 
The horns changed to shining shoes, 
showing the bull’s grace.

Carrying children in baskets, 
and with the horn shoes on his feet, 
Cowherd chased Weaver in the air. 
With the soldiers he must compete. 

The horn shoes ran so fast. 
Cowherd was shooting into the sky. 
Soon he heard Weaver struggling, 
also children’s cry. 

“Leave me along, I beg you. 
Let me talk to my husband. 
Let me join my two children, 
and let us go back to our land.”

While Cowherd was approaching, 
and only a few yards from there, 
The Goddess came and saw the situation, 
and took a pin from her hair.

She threw the jade pin to the air, 
which suddenly became a huge river. 
Its turbulent waves and billows 
separated Cowherd and Weaver. 

This was Silver River, 
with nothing able to get across. 
The horn shoes were defeated, 
and stopped at a great loss. 

Cowherd bitterly knelt down, 
and cried and begged to the Goddess. 
“Please be kind to the children. 
Why should they be motherless? ” 

Weaver also knelt down, 
asking for blessing the innocent children. 
“Let me kiss them one more time. 
Please save my heart from broken.”

Goddess was moved to some extent, 
and allowed them to meet once a year. 
But no solution she suggested 
to overcome the turbulent Silver River. 

Birds from the universe 
decided to help the poor pair. 
They spiraled above the silver river, 
and composed a bridge in the air. 

Stepping on the bird bridge, 
the couple had a passionate meeting.
Their reunion was celebrated 
by cheerful bird chirping. 

Countless love words 
poured out from each heart. 
They wanted to stay together 
but never wanted to depart. 

That day was Valentine’s Day, 
the seventh of lunar July, 
When love pairs swear their love 
and never mention good-bye.