英文讲述经典爱情故事《牛郎织女》

The Cowherd and the Girl Weaver

The Cowherd and the Girl Weaver is a very beautiful and eternal love story. It has become one of the Chinese four great folklores. It reflects people's recognition of true love.Qixijie is actually formed from this story. As the story goes, an honest cowherd, premature deaths of parents,can only take refuge with his brother. However, his sister-in-law was full of malice, and often abused him and forced him to do many activities. He was forced to split up, then lived with an old ox. He had been so kind to his ox that the creature told him of a secret pond where the beautiful daughters of the Emperor of Heaven bathed. If the cowherd stole one of their clothes, the fairy would be unable to escape and become his wife. As it happened, the girl happened to be the seventh, youngest and most beautiful, daughter of the Emperor of Heaven. Soon they fell in love with each other. Weaver married Cowherd and they lived together happily. The cowherd cultivated the land and the weaver spun the clothing. Later, they bore two children, a man and a woman. But good things never last, When the Emperor of Heaven found out, he was angered and ordered the Queen Mother to bring their daughter back. The cowherd came home with his children to find her gone. The old ox, who he had cared for through all of this, said he was too old and about to die. He advised the cowherd to cut his skin and wear it so that he would go to heaven to find his wife. But when they found her, the Queen Mother separated them by a large river. They were all so sad that the Queen Mother felt guilty. She agreed they could only see each other once a year on July 7th on the lunar calendar. The birds felt so sad for this young couple that they made a bridge for the two to walk on. This bridge is known as the "Magpie Bridge ". The elder always say that we can hear the soft nothings between Weaver and Cowherd under the grape vine. If love between both sides can last for age, why need they stay together night and day But if the love is around us now, please cherish it.