July:Chinese Valentine's Day Comes(情系七夕)二
The cowherd went to the brook and watched the seven pretty daughters of the Emperor come down from heaven to take a bath. Fascinated by the youngest and the most beautiful one, the cowherd hid her fairy clothes. When the other six fairies went away after the bath, the youngest could not fly back to heaven without her fairy clothes. The cowherd then appeared and told the Weaving Maid that he would keep her clothes until she agreed to be his wife. After a slight hesitation, mixed with coyness and eagerness, the maid accepted the handsome man's proposal. The couple was then married and had two children two years later. Meanwhile, up in heaven, the Emperor missed the beautiful skies once woven by his seventh daughter. He ordered his daughter's grandmother to find her and bring her back to him. As the seventh princess was flying to heaven with her grandmother, the cowherd put on his old ox's hide (which he preserved after the animal had died long ago) and put their children into two bamboo baskets laced with his wife's magical fairy clothes to chase after his love. One of the most famous poems about the legend was written by Qin Guan of in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Fairy Of The Magpie Bridge Among the beautiful clouds, A night of rendezvous, Surpasses joy on earth. Eternal love between us two, 宋·秦观 织云弄巧 金风玉露一相逢 柔情似水 两情若是久长时 |