10 牛郎织女（一）

Lesson Ten

The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid （I）

In ancient times, there was a child whose parents died and lived with his brother and sister-in-law.

His brother and sister-in-law treated him badly, telling him to eat leftovers, wear worn-out dress and sleep in the cowshed at night.

There was no bed in the cowshed, so he slept on hay.

He herded cattle every day. The cattle was very close to him, looking at him with gentle eyes, and sometimes sticking out his tongue and licking cowherd’s hands, which was funny.

His brother and sister-in-law always ignored him when they see him, as if they were uncomfortable as soon as he was here.

He was also happy to go out with cows and sleep together.

7. He doesn’t have a name. People call him a cowherd when they see him herding cattle every day.

8. The cowherd took good care of the cattle.

9. Because the cow was close to him on the one hand; on the other hand, he thought, the cattle was so hard-working that we should take good care of it, otherwise how can we be worthy of it?  

10. He always picked good grass and let cattle eat tender grass; the hay it eats at home was sifted without any soil.

11. When the cattle was thirsty, he lead it to the upper reaches of the stream and let it drink clean water.

12. In hot summer, they took a rest in the woods; in cold winter, they basked in the sun on the hillside.

13. He brushed the cattle clean, leaving no grass leaves or soil particles. In summer, he always took a cattail leaf fan, driving away all the gadflies flying around.

14. The cowshed was also cleaned.

15. Living in a clean place, both the cattle and cowherd were comfortable.

16. The cowherd hummed a few popular tunes freely. No one listened to him, but the cattle shook its ears and closed its eyes, as if it listened to them with gusto.

17. Cowherd said what he thought in his heart, but no one listened to him, only the cattle opened its mouth and smiled as if it understood what he meant.

18. He often told the cattle what he saw and heard, and sometimes discussed something with it.

19. The cattle seem to know everything. Although it didn’t speak, the cowherd was satisfied with its smile.

20. Naturally, sometimes he still felt that there was a fly in the ointment. It would be nice if the cattle could speak and tell what it knew and wanted to say.

21. Year after year, the cowherd gradually grew up.

22. His brother and sister-in-law wanted to monopolize the fortune left by their father and regard him as a thorn in their side.

23. One day, the brother called the cowherd to him, pretending to be affectionate, and said, “Now that you have grown up, it’s time to get married and start your career.

24. Our father has left us some property, let’s divide it.

25. The cattle and the bullock cart are all yours; I’ll take the rest.”

26. Sister-in-law was around. She was laughing but it was more like she was being cruel, saying, “What we have given you is the most useful, you know?

27. You have to know that and get out of here.

28. It is still early, so you’d better go right now.”

29. The cowherd listened to his brother and sister-in-law, thought for a moment, and said, “OK, I’ll go now.”

30. He thought that since his brother and sister-in-law treated him like this, why should he be reluctant to part with him?

31. The bullock cart was not rare. Fortunately, the old cattle belonged to him, and his close friend was still together, so it doesn’t matter if he left home.

32. He took the cattle and the broken cart, but he didn’t look back. He walked straight ahead, out of the village, through the woods, and into the mountains.

33. Since then, he went up the mountain to collect firewood in the daytime. When the firewood was full of a cart, he let the cattle take it and go to the market to exchange food; at night, he let the cattle rest by the cart and he himself slept in the cart.

34. After some time, he built a cottage in front of the mountain, and opened up a piece of land next to the cottage to plant some crops, which made him a home.

35. In the dim starlight, the cattle opened and closed its mouth, and it was talking.

36. The cattle was really talking!

37. The cowherd didn’t feel strange. As if he was used to it, he turned to listen.

38. The old cattle said, “Tomorrow evening, you will cross the mountain on the right. There is a forest on the other side of the mountain. In front of the forest is a lake. At that time, some fairies will bathe in the lake.

39. Their clothes are on the grass. You should pick up the pink gauze and run to the woods to wait. The fairy who asked for your clothes is your wife.

40. Don’t miss this opportunity.”  

41. “I see.”

42. The cowherd replied happily.

43. At dusk the next day, the cowherd climbed the mountain on the right, went through the woods and went to the lake.

44. The lake reflected the afterglow of sunset, and the ripples of blue and purple were swaying.

45. He heard a woman’s laughter, and according to the sound, there were indeed many women bathing in the lake.

46. He walked along the lake, and within a few steps, he saw a lot of clothes on the grass, all of which were so beautiful.

47. Sure enough, there was a pink gauze dress in it, so he picked it up, turned and walked into the woods.

48. He listened quietly. After a while, he heard the women coming ashore.

49. Only one of them said, “It’s late, let’s go back quickly!

50. We come here furtively. If the Heavenly Queen knows about it, she will punish us!”

51. After a while, he heard another one say, “All you will go?

52. It is rare to come here and take a bath freely, why not play for a while.

53. Oh!

54. Where are my clothes?

55. Who has seen my clothes?”

56. When the cowherd heard this, he came out of the woods, holding the gauze clothes in his hands, and said, “Hey, don’t worry, your clothes are here.”

57. The girl put on her clothes and combed her long black hair while talking to the cowherd.

58. The cowherd told her all about himself.

59. The girl heard that, sympathized with him and cherished him, so she told him her own situation.

60. It turns out that the girl was the granddaughter of the Heavenly Queen. She weaves colorful brocade and her name was Weaving Maid.

61. Every morning and evening, the Heavenly Queen decorated the sky with the colorful brocade she weaved, that is, the brilliant clouds, and nothing is as beautiful as it is.

62. The Heavenly Queen needed more colorful brocade, so she asked Weaving Maid to weave all day and night without rest.

63. Weaving Maid was always in the engine room and wove with the shuttle. She is tired, needless to say, and she has no freedom. She seems to be locked up in prison. She is really miserable.

64. She often thought, everyone said that heaven is good, the heaven is good, what is good in heaven?

65. There is no freedom and nothing to see.

66. She always wants to leave the heaven and go to the earth, even if it is a day and a half, she can see the world.

67. She told the other fairies about the idea.

68. Other fairies also said that they had this idea for a long time.

69. That afternoon, the Heavenly Queen drank a little more wine that has been brewed for thousands of years, and leaned on her throne to doze off. It seemed that she would not wake up immediately.

70. Fairies took this rare opportunity, and fly together to the world.

71. When they flew to the lake and saw that the water was lovely, they jumped down to take a bath.

72. Weaving Maid has been locked up in the room for too long. Now she could swim freely in the lake. She was so happy that she wanted to play more, but she fell behind.

73. After hearing the words of Weaving Maid, the cowherd said, “Miss, since there is nothing good in the sky, you don’t have to go back.

74. Both we work. Let’s get married and live together for the rest of our lives.”

75. Weaving Maid thought for a moment and said, “You are right. Let’s get married and live together.”

76. Hand in hand, they went through the woods, over the hill and back to the cottage.

77. The cowherd showed the old cattle to Weaving Maid, saying that it was a companion who depended on each other from childhood to adulthood.

78. Weaving Maid patted the old cattle’s neck and touched its ears with her cheek. It was a gift to meet it.

79. The cattle looked at her with a smile, as if to say, “You are the bride.”