The Legend of the Fairy and the Woodcutter

High above the clouds, in the celestial realm where immortal beings dwell in eternal harmony, there lived seven fairy sisters whose beauty was said to rival the stars themselves. The youngest sister, named Zhinü, possessed not only extraordinary beauty but also exceptional skill in weaving silk so fine it seemed to be made of moonbeams and starlight.

Every day, the seven sisters would descend from heaven to bathe in a crystal-clear lake hidden deep within the mountains of northern Vietnam. This sacred lake, surrounded by ancient pine trees and floating lotus blossoms, was known only to the forest spirits and creatures who lived in perfect harmony with nature.

Meanwhile, in a humble village at the base of these mystical mountains, lived a poor but honest woodcutter named Niulang. Though he had lost his parents at a young age and owned nothing but a small hut and an aging ox, Niulang possessed a gentle heart and worked tirelessly to make an honest living cutting wood and helping his neighbors whenever they needed assistance.

Niulang’s only companion was his wise old ox, who had been his faithful friend for many years. What Niulang did not know was that this ox was actually a fallen star god who had been banished to earth for a minor transgression in heaven, and who now watched over the lonely young man with protective care.

One morning, as Niulang was gathering wood in the deep forest, he heard the sound of laughter like silver bells ringing in the mountain air. Following the beautiful sound, he discovered the hidden lake where the seven fairy sisters were playing in the crystal waters, their celestial robes laid carefully on the grassy shore.

The moment Niulang saw Zhinü, with her long black hair flowing like silk in the water and her eyes sparkling with otherworldly joy, he fell deeply in love. And when Zhinü caught sight of the handsome woodcutter standing quietly among the trees, her immortal heart was touched by something she had never felt before—earthly love.

The wise ox, understanding what was happening, whispered to Niulang: “Kind master, if you wish to win the fairy’s heart, you must hide her celestial robe while she bathes. Without it, she cannot return to heaven immediately, and you will have time to speak with her and show her your true nature.”

Though Niulang felt guilty about taking something that belonged to another, his love for Zhinü was so powerful that he quietly picked up her shimmering robe and hid it behind a large pine tree.

When the fairy sisters finished bathing and began to put on their celestial robes to return to heaven, Zhinü discovered that hers was missing. While her six sisters flew back to the celestial realm, she was left alone and unable to follow them.

Niulang approached the beautiful fairy with humble respect and gentle kindness.

“Gracious lady,” he said softly, “I know where your robe is hidden, and I will return it to you gladly. But please, allow me to show you hospitality in my simple home first. Let me prove that not all earthly creatures are unworthy of celestial friendship.”

Moved by his respectful manner and touched by the sincerity in his voice, Zhinü agreed to visit his humble dwelling.

For the next several months, Zhinü lived with Niulang in his modest hut, learning about mortal life and discovering joys she had never known in heaven. She found deep satisfaction in cooking simple meals, tending a small garden, and sharing the daily struggles and triumphs of earthly existence.

Niulang showed her every kindness, working harder than ever to provide comfort for his celestial guest, never demanding anything from her, and treating her with the reverence due to an immortal being.

In return, Zhinü used her supernatural skills to help improve their lives. She wove cloth so beautiful that merchants from distant cities came to buy it, bringing prosperity to their humble household. More importantly, she discovered that her love for Niulang grew deeper each day, rooted not in celestial magic but in genuine affection for his gentle character and generous heart.

Eventually, Zhinü and Niulang were married in a simple ceremony blessed by all the village elders and forest spirits. Their love was so pure and strong that it seemed to make the very air around them sparkle with happiness.

For three blissful years, they lived together as husband and wife, welcoming two beautiful children into their family—a son and a daughter who inherited their mother’s celestial grace and their father’s earthly kindness.

But in the heavenly realm, the Jade Emperor, ruler of all celestial beings, discovered that one of his fairy servants had abandoned her duties to live among mortals. Furious at this violation of cosmic order, he commanded the Queen Mother of the West to bring Zhinü back to heaven immediately.

“A celestial being cannot live permanently among mortals,” the Jade Emperor declared. “The order of heaven and earth must be maintained, no matter the personal cost.”

The Queen Mother of the West descended to earth with a host of celestial soldiers and, despite Zhinü’s tears and pleas, forcibly separated her from her beloved family.

“Your duty is to heaven first,” the Queen Mother said sternly as she dragged the weeping fairy away from Niulang and their children. “Mortal love is a temporary illusion that blinds you to your eternal responsibilities.”

Niulang watched in despair as his beloved wife was carried into the sky, her cries of anguish echoing across the mountains. Determined not to lose her forever, he placed his two children in baskets attached to a carrying pole and began to chase after the celestial party.

The wise ox, seeing his master’s desperate determination, revealed his true nature at last.

“Master,” the ox said, “I am actually a star god who was once banished from heaven. Though I cannot return to my former position, I can give you the power to fly to the celestial realm and pursue your wife. After I die, use my hide to make wings that will carry you to heaven itself.”

With these words, the faithful ox died peacefully, his spirit returning to the stars from which he had come. Niulang, though heartbroken at losing his loyal companion, followed the ox’s instructions and used the magical hide to create wings that lifted him and his children into the sky.

Flying faster than eagles, Niulang pursued his wife’s captors toward the celestial realm, his love giving him strength to cross impossible distances.

But just as he was about to reach Zhinü, the Queen Mother of the West created a vast river of stars across the sky—what mortals now call the Milky Way—separating the lovers for eternity.

Zhinü, imprisoned on one side of the stellar river, and Niulang, with their children on the other side, could only gaze at each other across the infinite expanse of stars, their hearts breaking with longing.

Their story of separation and enduring love moved even the hardest hearts in heaven. The magpies of the world, touched by such devotion, decided to help the tragic lovers.

Once each year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, thousands of magpies fly up to heaven and form a bridge of their wings across the Milky Way, allowing Zhinü and Niulang to meet for a single precious day.

On this night, known in Vietnam as the Festival of the Weaving Maiden, people look up at the stars and remember the power of love that transcends even the boundaries between heaven and earth. Young lovers pray to Zhinü for blessing on their relationships, and families tell the story to remind themselves that true love endures even the greatest separations.

Legend says that if it rains on the seventh day of the seventh month, those are the tears of joy that Zhinü and Niulang shed during their brief annual reunion. And throughout the year, people who work with silk and thread honor Zhinü as their patron, believing that her celestial weaving skills will bless their earthly crafts.

The woodcutter Niulang and the fairy Zhinü remain in the sky as stars—he as Altair in the constellation Aquila, she as Vega in the constellation Lyra—forever separated by the Milky Way but united by a love that neither time nor divine decree could destroy.

Their story teaches that the deepest love requires sacrifice, that duty and desire sometimes conflict painfully, but that true affection transcends all boundaries and endures beyond mortal life itself.

In Vietnamese culture, the Legend of the Fairy and the Woodcutter represents the eternal human struggle between individual happiness and social responsibility, between earthly desires and heavenly duties. It reminds us that love, even when it cannot triumph completely, still has the power to move heaven and earth and create beauty that lasts forever.

Parents tell this story to help their children understand that the greatest love often involves sacrifice, that separation can make hearts grow stronger rather than weaker, and that some bonds are so powerful they become part of the very fabric of the universe, written in the stars for all eternity.