From the earliest time of human existence on earth, the magnificence of the night sky has never failed in intriguing, and giving us a sense of wonder.  The stars and its constellations have inspired numerous legends, literature works, ideological principles and theories about our origins.  Folks lore about mythological figures associated with specific star or group of stars are told in many languages, in every corners of the globe, from the tiny tree villages in the deep jungle of the Amazon, to the skyscraper in the middle of a busy city.  Lore that depicts valiant deed of war of the mighty gods, to poetic verses of romantic love story, is told to people of all ages and genders.
 

For many of us who grew up among western culture, who among us has never heard of Perseus whose gallantry efforts in saving Princess Andromeda from Triton the sea monster, which is told in many Hollywood epics?  In our eastern culture, mythological gods and heroes of the ancient time are also associated with visible stars.  There are many mythological stories about the stars told in Vietnamese homes too, but perhaps the best-known romantic story is the story of Nguu Lang and Chuc Nu.  The story originated from China, but shared among Chinese influenced cultures like Japan, Korea and Vietnam.  The story is told in many versions, and each is enjoyed by every generation, young or old.  The story is as follows:
 
 

Chuc Nu was the daughter of the Jade Emperor, the ruler of Heaven.  She was a most beautiful and skilful weaver who could make the most exquisite tapestries.  She could for example, weave sun rays together with moonlight, and dressed her work with twinkle stars here and there to make the most exceptional materials, and from those her father’s dress were made.  Being a beautiful princess she had many suitors, but she could not find love among the magnificent and handsome princes of heaven, for none could make her happy.
 

On one sunny summer’s day when she happened to look out of the palace window, and saw her father's herdsman driving the cattle along the banks of the Milky Way.  As so often happens in love stories, their glances met, and both knew that this was love at first sight.  The Jade Emperor, who had been worried about his daughter’s future, was at first very much against the idea of his daughter marrying a herdsman.  However after being advised by the Moon princess, his benevolence overcome his anger and thus approved their romance.  Especially as the herdsman Nguu Lang was a very conscientious worker, who had always been his loyal servant in looking after the royal cattle.
 

They got married and were very happy together, as their love grew stronger and sweeter day thereafter.  In fact they were a little too happy, and too devoted to each other, and consequently forgot all about their work.  Chuc Nu forgot her own weaving, and even forgot to weave her father his new gowns.  The weaving wheel stood still and gathered dusty cobwebs, while the royal cattle roamed far and wide across the heavenly meadows, and destroyed heaven’s crops.  The Jade Emperor gave them repeated warnings, but they were so deeply in love that they kept forgetting their duties.  This annoyed the Emperor so much that after several warnings he decided to banish Nguu Lang to the other side of the Milky Way again, so that he could tend to the cattle’s there, and that they could never meet again.  Chuc Nu pleaded with her father not to pass such a harsh sentence but to no avail.  However soon after, the Jade Emperor took a little pity, and promised that they can meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month.  So every year, on the seventh day of the seventh month, Chuc Nu stands on one side of the Milky Way, and appeals to the magpies to help the parted lovers to be together again.  The magpies from all over the world would unite, and form a bridge so that Chuc Nu and Nguu Lang could once again be together.
 
 

Legend has it that after the seventh day of the seventh moon; the magpies’ feathers would be worn down due to the sympathetic deed they did by bringing the lovers together.  And on that day, the sky usually rains down lightly, and at nightfall the soft rain becomes a downpour.  Explanation for this is that on the morning of the day they were to meet, Chuc Nu would cry with happy tears since she would soon meet her husband.  And the downpour represents the tears of sorrow parting.  The story is also told in a popular folk song:

“Whose tears are fallen on the Silvery River,
Crying for an unfulfilled love?
Oh how I miss my darling love,
The emptiness of the day seems forever,
A punishment for a passionate love.

Once a year we’re allowed to meet the other
On the seventh day of the seventh month
Magpies  bring us together.
Our tears are the joy of summer
A happy meeting of the Nguu lovers.”
 

Chuc Nu and Nguu Lang in the legend are both immortalised with two beautiful stars on the night sky. Chuc Nu is Vega of the constellation Lyra, and Nguu Lang is the bright Altair of Aquila.  Both of these stars are easily visible in the summer, when together with Deneb they form the familiar summer triangle on the Northern Hemisphere night sky.  The triangle of stars is not easy to miss on the summer sky.  If weather condition permits, you can see the silvery patch of light that is the Milky Way, and it flows over Deneb, and separates Vega and Altair.  The magpies in the legend might be the sign of birds immigrating across the sky during the lunar seventh month, which usually corresponds to August in Gregorian calendar. In Vietnam, during this time of the year there are usually light rain throughout the day, and the Vietnamese call these rain  “mÜa ngâu”, and associate this with the happy tears of long parted lovers.  During hot summers’ day, these light rains are often welcome with joy, for it means the crops have enough water to overcome the drought.
 

There you have it, a wonderful legend from the night sky.  A legend that has inspired the flow of many wonderful lines of poetry, as well as captured the imagination of songwriters.  Inspired by the story was the songwriter Lam Phuong, who retold this epic story in one of his well-known piece, “Nguu Lang Chuc Nu”.  So whenever you get the opportunity, listen to this wonderful piece, and relive the story again.  And if you are ever gazing at the summer sky, see if you can spot the triangle of stars, and the silvery patch of the light of the Milky Way.  I hope that this article has enlightened you with the idea that even in our Vietnamese culture, there are mythological stories about heroes who are associated with the stars, which are as intriguing, as those of the western culture.