The Chinese myth of the forbidden lovers - Shannon Zhao

譯者: Lily Liu 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

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

玉皇大帝統治的天庭 住著七位公主

Each had their chosen place in court,

每位公主在這有不同的職責

but the youngest princess had a special skill.

不過其中最小的公主 有項特殊技能

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

她能從天空摘下雲朵 並將之紡織成世上最柔軟的長袍

Her work was so precise,

織女的做工十分細緻

not even the most expert eye could find a seam.

無人能察覺布料上的接縫

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

日復一日，她的手藝無法突破自我 因而渴求能找到靈感

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

王母娘娘最終同意讓織女到訪人間

The other princesses would accompany her

其他公主會跟她一起下凡

to protect their sister from earthly dangers.

保護她們的小妹免於人間的危險

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

公主們身穿特殊長袍 因而能在天庭和人間翱翔自如

the sisters soared down from the sky.

她們從天上飛下來

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

眼前綿延的山巒和溪流 讓織女嘆為觀止

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

公主們決定在一條 波光粼粼的小溪裡游泳

As the weaver floated, she dreamt about staying forever.

織女在溪流裡一邊漂浮著 一邊夢想著長流於此

Meanwhile, a lone cowherd approached the riverbank.

此時，一名牧牛人走向河岸邊

He came here often to sweep his parent’s grave

這位牛郎時常來此打掃父母的墳墓

and speak with his only companion—

也常對著他唯一的同伴說話

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

也就是一頭會默默地 聽著他訴說傷心事的公牛

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

但當牛郎看到織女的美貌後 他頓時將一切拋諸腦後

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

他想上前自我介紹 但因為自己孤零零的而怯步

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

公牛看到牛郎躊躇不前 給了他一些建議

He told the cowherd of the swimmer’s celestial origins

公牛對牛郎說 在戲水的織女來自天庭

and of her dream to stay on Earth;

她希望能一直待在人間

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

公牛還說織女能留下來 一旦她失去能讓她回天庭的東西

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

在牛郎走向公主們的那一刻 她們驚慌失措地飛走

leaving their dreaming sister behind.

丟下還在水中做夢的小妹

While keeping her magic robes hidden,

牛郎把織女的魔法長袍藏了起來

the cowherd offered his own garment as a substitute.

並用自己的衣服讓她替換

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

牛郎得到織女的信任後 他們便一同探索鄉村

She was struck by his caring nature,

織女深刻感受到牛郎照顧人的性格

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

牛郎則透過織女的眼睛 看到世界的驚奇

Before long, the two had fallen deeply in love.

不久後，他們墜入愛河

The weaver and the cowherd built a prosperous life.

牛郎和織女過著富足的生活

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

他們的農田豐收 織女教當地村民紡織技術

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

時間流逝

他們喜獲兩個健康的小孩

but their bull was growing old.

但這時公牛年事已高

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

公牛在臨走前，懇求他們一家人 將牠的牛皮保存下來

and use its magic at their time of need.

在往後必要之時 牛皮的魔法將會派上用場

While the husband grieved for his friend,

牛郎哀悼公牛逝世的同時

the weaver’s mind turned to her other family.

織女思念起自己的家人

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

拍一拍魔法長袍上的灰塵 她想啟程回天庭一趟

But when the weaver swept into her old home,

但當織女到家後

no one seemed surprised to see her.

大家對她的到訪皆無動於衷

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

這時她才意識到

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

人間一年的時間只是天庭的一天

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

家人一得知她在人間的新生活後

氣得火冒三丈

How dare she waste her love on a human?

公主豈能愛上平凡的人類？

The weaver tried to escape back to Earth,

織女想趕緊飛回人間

but the Queen Mother plucked a golden hairpin from her head

但此時王母娘娘取下頭上的金簪

and tore through the sky.

劃開天空

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

頓時一道裂痕出現 浩瀚的銀河分隔天庭和人間

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

在地面的牛郎這時全身顫抖 但他仍謹記公牛的遺囑

Hastily placing each child in a basket,

他趕緊將孩子們放入兩邊的竹簍

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

背上披著牛皮奔向天際

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

這對相隔兩地的眷侶 都想奮力涉過中間滿天星斗

But no matter how hard they struggled,

但他們再怎麼拼命

the gulf between them only grew wider.

這道銀河只會愈來愈寬

Day after day, the Queen Mother watched without pity.

一天又一天地過了 王母娘娘冷眼旁觀這一切

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

年復一年，牛郎和織女無依無靠

except the passing magpies to cheer them on.

只有經過的喜鵲陪伴他們

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

他們之間情比金堅的愛 最終打動王母娘娘

While she couldn’t forgive her granddaughter entirely,

但王母娘娘無法完全原諒她

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

只同意讓織女和牛郎 一年見一次面

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

每到夏季的尾聲 喜鵲會在銀河上搭建一座橋

reuniting the weaver and the cowherd.

讓織女和牛郎相聚

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

每年此時

數百萬東亞和東南亞國家的居民

tell similar tales of these star-crossed lovers,

講述這對戀人不同版本的 淒美愛情故事

celebrating their annual reunion.

歡慶牛郎和織女每年的相會