The Chinese myth of the forbidden lovers - Shannon Zhao

翻译人员: Hagar Abdelrahman 校对人员: Yuwei Wu

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

在玉皇大帝的天朝里 生活了七位公主。

Each had their chosen place in court,

每个公主在天朝里有着自己的位置，

but the youngest princess had a special skill.

不过最小的公主 拥有一个很特别的技能。

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

她能从天空摘云， 把云纺到最柔软的长袍。

Her work was so precise,

她的作品很精确的，

not even the most expert eye could find a seam.

连最专业的眼睛都找不到任何线缝。

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

但是天天她的工艺是一样的， 而她希望找到新的启示。

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

太后终于同意纺织者旅游地球。

The other princesses would accompany her

其他公主会陪着她

to protect their sister from earthly dangers.

保护她们的妹妹免受地球的危险。

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

穿着让她们能在天堂和地球之间 穿梭的特别长袍，

the sisters soared down from the sky.

姐妹们向下翱翔从天空。

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

连绵起伏的山川河流 让纺织者大吃惊，

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

姐妹们决定在一条 闪闪发光的小河里游泳。

As the weaver floated, she dreamt about staying forever.

当纺织者漂浮时， 她梦到一直留在地球。

Meanwhile, a lone cowherd approached the riverbank.

同时，一给孤独的牛郎 走进了河岸。

He came here often to sweep his parent’s grave

他常常来到这里，扫他父母坟墓

and speak with his only companion—

并和他的唯一的同伴聊天——

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

一只坚忍公牛 在耐心地听着牛郎的悲哀。

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

但是，一看到纺织者的魅力， 牛郎就忘了他的常规。

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

虽然他一直想介绍自己， 但是他孤单的生活方式使他很害羞。

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

恰好，公牛看到了他朋友的处境 并提供它的意见。

He told the cowherd of the swimmer’s celestial origins

他跟牛郎说到游泳者的天体出身

and of her dream to stay on Earth;

和她的梦想，就是留在地球；

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

还有，她要是想留在地球 就必须丢掉去往天庭的票。

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

牛郎走近时，公主们吓得飞走了——

leaving their dreaming sister behind.

离开了在梦想中的妹妹，

While keeping her magic robes hidden,

藏了她的魔法长袍的同时，

the cowherd offered his own garment as a substitute.

牛郎也提供自己的衣服代替。

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

得到了她的信任后， 他们俩开始探索乡村。

She was struck by his caring nature,

她被他的关怀天性打动了，

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

而他学到用她的眼睛看世界的奇迹。

Before long, the two had fallen deeply in love.

没多久，他们俩就恋爱了。

The weaver and the cowherd built a prosperous life.

纺织者和牛郎建立了繁荣的生活。

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

他们的农场繁荣了， 纺织者教了当地村民她的技能。

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

随着时间的过去， 情侣俩得到了两个健康的孩子，

but their bull was growing old.

但是他们的公牛正在变老了。

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

公牛死了之前， 它恳求家人保留它的皮

and use its magic at their time of need.

并在需要时，使用它的魔法。

While the husband grieved for his friend,

在丈夫为他朋友难过时，

the weaver’s mind turned to her other family.

纺织者开始想到她的另一家人。

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

除尘她的魔法长袍时， 就决定拜访天上。

But when the weaver swept into her old home,

不过当纺织者到了她的老家时，

no one seemed surprised to see her.

他们似乎没感到惊讶。

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

她惊讶的发现时间几乎没过去多久，

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

因为天上一天，地上一年。

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

当她的家人知道她的 新的生活时，他们都很愤怒。

How dare she waste her love on a human?

她怎么敢浪费她的爱在一个人上？

The weaver tried to escape back to Earth,

纺织者试着逃回到地球，

but the Queen Mother plucked a golden hairpin from her head

但是太后从自己的头上 拿了一根金色发钗，

and tore through the sky.

并撕破了天空。

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

一个巨大的海湾打开了， 形成了一条在天地之间的星河。

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

地上，牛郎发抖了， 但他也记得了公牛最后的话。

Hastily placing each child in a basket,

急忙地把每个孩子放在一直篮子里，

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

他披了公牛的皮并冲上去。

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

在云层之上，每一个恋人都试图 穿过汹涌的群星。

But no matter how hard they struggled,

可是不管他们都么努力，

the gulf between them only grew wider.

海湾只是变得更广阔。

Day after day, the Queen Mother watched without pity.

日复一日，太后无悲愍地看着。

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

几年过去了，纺织者和牛郎俩没人，

except the passing magpies to cheer them on.

只有过往的喜鹊让他们开心。

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

最终，他们的感情打动了太后的心。

While she couldn’t forgive her granddaughter entirely,

虽然她没有完全原谅她的孙女，

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

但她会让织女跟她地球上的家人 一年见一次面。

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

所以，夏末时， 喜鹊会组成了通过银河的桥梁，

reuniting the weaver and the cowherd.

让织女和牛郎团聚在一起。

At this time of year, millions of people in East and Southeast Asian countries

每年的这个时候， 东亚和东南亚国家的数百万人

tell similar tales of these star-crossed lovers,

都会讲述这对 命运多舛的恋人的故事，

celebrating their annual reunion.

庆祝他们一年一度的团聚。