The cowherd's ox, which was actually an immortal from heaven, made mistakes in heaven and was reincarnated as an ox to toil on earth. One day, the ox suddenly said to the cowherd: "You are a nice person. If you want to get married, go to the brook and your wish will come true." 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. But the grandmother created a milky way in the sky with her hairpin, which kept the lovers apart. The seventh princess moved to the star Vega (The Swooping Eagle) in the Lyra (Harp) constellation. And the cowherd and their two children stayed on the star Altair (Flying One) in the Aquila (Eagle) constellation. Vega is also known as the Weaving Maid Star and Altair is identified with the cowherd in China.

Magpies nearby were so moved by their true love that they gathered to form a bridge for the couple so they could meet in the evening of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, as prescribed by the emperor.

Some say that it's hard to spot a magpie on Chinese Valentine's Day because most of them are busy making a bridge for the Weaving Maid and cowherd. (It is said magpies have fewer feathers on their heads after Valentine's Day - proof of their hard labor). It is also believed that evening showers on this day are the tears of the parting couple.

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