In the celestial court of the Jade Emperor lived seven princesses.

玉皇大帝的天庭中住著七仙女。

Each had their chosen place in court,

個個各司其職，

but the youngest princess had a special skill.

但最年幼的公主擁有與眾不同的手藝。

She could pluck clouds from the sky and spin them into the softest robes.

她能取天上雲彩，織出世上最柔軟的霓裳。

Her work was so precise, not even the most expert eye could find a seam.

她手藝之精，即使最老道的師傅也找不出霓裳的接縫。

But her craft was the same day after day, and she longed for new inspiration.

可織女的手藝逐漸一成不變，她渴望新的靈感。

Finally, the Queen Mother granted the weaver permission to visit Earth.

終於，王母娘娘允了織女下凡的心願。

The other princesses would accompany her to protect their sister from earthly dangers.

其餘仙女也伴其左右，以保織女免受塵世侵擾。

Dressed in special robes that allowed them to fly between Heaven and Earth,

身著羽衣，仙女們於天地間穿梭，

the sisters soared down from the sky.

降落人間。

The weaver was in awe of the rolling hills and rivers,

連綿起伏的山巒河流令織女敬畏不已，

and the sisters decided to swim in one of the glittering streams.

仙女們決定進入波光粼粼的川水中。

As the weaver floated, she dreamt about staying forever.

漂浮溪流之中，織女夢想著永久留於此地。

Meanwhile, a lone cowherd approached the riverbank.

與此同時，獨身一人的牛郎走近河岸。

He came here often to sweep his parents' grave

他經常前來此處為其雙親掃墓，

and speak with his only companion—

並與其唯一的夥伴談心—

a stoic bull who listened patiently to the cowherd's sorrows.

一頭耐心傾聽牛郎悲傷，堅忍不拔的黃牛。

But upon seeing the weaver's beauty, the cowherd forgot his routine.

但牛郎一見到織女傾城的容顏，便忘了該做的事。

While he longed to introduce himself, his lonely lifestyle had made him timid.

雖然渴望上前自我介紹，但長年孤獨的生活讓他變得膽怯。

Thankfully, the bull saw his friend's plight and offered some advice.

所幸，黃牛看出了牛郎的窘迫，並提出了建議。

He told the cowherd of the swimmer's celestial origins and of her dream to stay on Earth;

他告訴牛郎，池中之女來自天庭且渴望留在人間；

but also that she could only remain if she lost her ticket back to Heaven.

並將織女需身著羽衣才能往返天界的事一併告訴了他。

As the cowherd approached, the princesses flew away in fear—

牛郎一靠近水邊，仙女們便慌忙逃回天界，

leaving their dreaming sister behind.

留下了她們沒有留神的妹妹。

While keeping her magic robes hidden,

藏起織女的羽衣後，

the cowherd offered his own garment as a substitute.

牛郎獻上自己衣裳作為替代。

And after gaining her trust, the pair began exploring the countryside.

成功取得織女信任後，兩人開始一同探索人間。

She was struck by his caring nature,

她被牛郎的關懷備至所打動，

and he learned to see the world's wonder through her eyes.

而牛郎也學會透過她的雙眼重新領略世界。

Before long, the two had fallen deeply in love.

不久，兩人便墜入愛河。

The weaver and the cowherd built a prosperous life.

織女和牛郎過上了富足的生活。

Their farm flourished, and the weaver taught her skills to local villagers.

其田畝豐收，織女也向當地村民傳授技能。

As time marched on, the pair was blessed with two healthy children,

隨著時間推移，兩人有了兩個健康的孩子，

but their bull was growing old.

黃牛的身軀也日漸衰老。

Before he died, the bull implored the family to keep his hide

死前，黃牛懇求牛郎織女留下牠的皮，

and use its magic at their time of need.

並在需要時使用它的魔法。

While the husband grieved for his friend,

見牛郎沈浸在老友死去的悲傷之中，

the weaver's mind turned to her other family.

織女想起了自己的家人。

Dusting off her magical robe, she decided to pay a visit to the heavens.

拂去羽衣上的落塵，她決定回天界一趟。

But when the weaver swept into her old home,

但當織女回到天庭時，

no one seemed surprised to see her.

似乎無人對她的出現感到驚訝。

With a start, she realized that barely any time had passed—

她猛地一驚，發現她在人間度過的時間，在天界不過一眨眼。

for a year on Earth was merely a day in Heaven.

人間的一年，不過是天界的一天。

When her family learned of her new life, they were enraged.

當得知織女在人間有了新生活時，天庭憤怒不已。

How dare she waste her love on a human?

怎敢將愛意浪費在一介凡人身上？

The weaver tried to escape back to Earth,

織女試圖逃回人間，

but the Queen Mother plucked a golden hairpin from her head and tore through the sky.

但王母娘娘卻從頭上取下金簪，用其劃破長空。

A great gulf opened, forming a river of stars between Heaven and Earth.

空中撕裂出一道鴻溝，於天地間開出了一條星河。

Below, the cowherd trembled, but he also remembered the bull's final words.

塵世間，牛郎渾身顫抖，但他也記得黃牛的遺言。

Hastily placing each child in a basket,

他急忙將兩個孩子裝進籃裡，

he draped the bull's pelt over his back and hurtled upwards.

並將牛皮披在背上，往上衝向天界。

Above the clouds, each lover attempted to wade through the surging stars.

雲層之上，愛侶試圖涉過洶湧星辰。

But no matter how hard they struggled,

但不論多努力，

the gulf between them only grew wider.

兩人之間的鴻溝只是越變越大。

Day after day, the Queen Mother watched without pity.

日復一日，王母娘娘眼睜睜地看著，毫不憐惜。

Years passed, and the weaver and the cowherd had no one,

歲月流逝，織女與牛郎無人相伴，

except the passing magpies to cheer them on.

只有路過的喜鵲為他們鼓氣。

Finally, their love moved the Queen Mother's heart.

最終，兩人的愛情感動了王母娘娘。

While she couldn't forgive her granddaughter entirely,

雖然無法完全原諒織女，

the Queen Mother would allow the weaver to meet her earthly family once a year.

王母娘娘允諾織女與人間的家人一年見上一面。

And so, in late summer, the magpies forma bridge across the Milky Way,

於是，夏末之際，喜鵲架起橫跨銀河的橋樑，

reuniting the weaver and the cowherd.

讓織女和牛郎得以重逢。

At this time of year, millions of people in East and Southeast Asian countries tell similar tales of these star-crossed lovers,

每年此時，東亞和東南亞國家數百萬人都會講述這對不幸戀人的故事，

celebrating their annual reunion.

並慶祝這對佳偶一年一度的團聚。