Once upon a time there lived two brothers. The older one is married, the younger one is single. From dawn to dawn the youngest one works in the field. At dawn he gets up, takes a sip of sour rice water, goes to the field, doesn’t straighten his back until lunch, eats more water at lunchtime, and works until late in the evening. And the elder brother and his wife are sitting at home, feasting on various dishes.
One day the younger brother was plowing, and suddenly the old ox said to him:
- Nu-lan, are you going home for dinner?
“I would go, but I’m afraid they’ll scold me if I turn back early.”
- Don’t be afraid, go!
- How can I go?..
- And so... Do you see a big stone on that edge of the field? Let's get to it and break the plow.
They approached a large stone. The ox will run away. and Nyu-lan helps him, pushes the plow, then as soon as he pulls him back, the plow crackles and shatters into pieces. They went home.
The daughter-in-law was just making dumplings. She saw her brother-in-law and said affectionately:
- Sit down, brother, eat quickly, I was about to send for you!
And the older brother asks:
- Why did you come back so early?
— The plow broke.
The elder brother did not answer anything to this. And the youngest sat down and let’s eat dumplings.
Nyu-lan went to plow the next day. It was time for dinner, and the ox said to him:
- Nu-lan, at lunch all people eat donuts.
“I’m not going home today!”
- Don’t be afraid, go.
- How can I go...
- Do you see a big stone on that edge of the field? Let's finish it, break the plow, and go home.
They approached a large stone. The ox runs away, and Nyu-lan helps him - he pulled the plow back: pyn! The plow cracked and shattered into splinters. They went home.
The daughter-in-law saw the brother-in-law and let’s swear:
- Oh, you brainless devil, you came to dinner so early again!
The elder brother asks:
- Why did you come back so early?
— The plow broke.
The older brother grinned and said:
- Yesterday the plow broke, now the plow, apparently, you don’t want to work in the field. I'll separate you tomorrow!
Just then the daughter-in-law brought steamed donuts. Niu-lan did not answer his brother, but began to eat.
On the third day Nyu-lan went to plow. It was time for dinner, and the ox said to him:
- Nu-lan, today we have pies fried in oil for lunch. Let's go home.
- I can’t! My brother threatened to separate me yesterday!
The ox answers:
- Don't be afraid, go home. Whether you come back early or late, you still share.
- What will I say if I’m tossing and turning now?
“If you say, the handle of the plow broke, and we’re going to break it on a stone.”
They approached a large stone, an ox ran away, and Nyu-lan was helping him - when he pulled back: kecha! The plow cracked and the handle broke off. The ox began to lecture Nyu-lan:
- Mow the herman grass, grab an armful. When we get home, throw it to me, but I won’t eat it, you have lunch, then come up to me and say:
My old ox doesn't eat germany grass,
And I don’t like sour rice!
The green reed loves the old ox,
And I love steamed donuts.
When your brother gives you a share, don’t take anything, just ask for old water, an old cart and a rope with knots.
The daughter-in-law saw that Nyu-lan returned early again, she got angry and started scolding him:
- Oh, you brainless devil, you came so early again! And how did you find out about the pies?
The elder brother saw the broken handle of the plow and could not utter a word out of anger.
And the pies are browned and sizzling in the oil, it’s time to serve them! Niu-lan did not answer his brother, but began to eat. His daughter-in-law walks around him, gets angry, looks askance. Niu-lan ate his fill, went out into the yard, stood in front of the ox and said:
My old ox doesn't eat germany grass,
And I don’t like sour rice!
The green reed loves the old ox,
And I love steamed donuts.
The daughter-in-law heard this and screamed in her hearts:
- Damn brainless, you're a master at chatting, but once you get down to business, everything falls out of your hands.
The elder brother got down from the kana and went to call people so that they could be witnesses during the division.
The daughter-in-law asks:
- What will you take, brother?
“I don’t need anything, just an old ox, a broken cart and a rope with knots.”
- Aren’t you going to take some rice?
- I won’t take it!
Nyu-lan did not wait for his brother, but shouted to the ox: “Let’s go!” — harnessed the cart and left.
They got out of the outskirts, Nyu-lan and asked:
-Where should we go now?
The ox answers:
- Directly south.
And the long, long road that was in front of them led precisely to the south.
They drove and drove and only reached the gorge in the evening. They look - the stream at the very entrance is clean and transparent.
The ox says:
- Well, isn’t it grace! If you want to drink, water is nearby. If you want to eat, there is grass under your feet. Unharness me, and rest on that big black stone over there!
An ox went into the gorge, walked slowly, chewed green grass, crunched. And Nyu-lan sits hungry on a stone.
Nu-lan says:
“It’s good for you, ox, you’ve eaten and drunk.” How do I feel? I wanted to take some rice with me, but you didn’t tell me to. What should I do now?
The ox mumbled: ige-guai, turned back and asked:
-Are you hungry? Go where the road turns, buy whatever food you want, and write down the expenses for me.
The young man went where the ox told him and ate his fill. They ask him:
- Who should I sign up for?
The young man answers:
- Write it down for the old ox.
Niu-lan returned satisfied. The ox asks him!
— Did you eat well?
- Ay-ya, it couldn’t be better!
“Now listen,” says the ox, “tomorrow, on the seventh day of the seventh moon, the Southern Gate of Heaven will open and the granddaughters of Wang-mu will come out to wash their clothes.” They will sit in a row, and the seventh from the western edge will be Zhi-nyu - the Heavenly Weaver. As soon as she hangs her clothes out to dry, steal them away and hide them. And if you give it away, click on me three times, I’ll appear in an instant. Otherwise she will leave you.
Nu-lan did not sleep all night, he was afraid to miss the heavenly fairies. Suddenly he hears a quiet creak - hua-la-la - the Southern Gate of Heaven opened, and a flock of white doves flew out of the gate. They flew up to the gorge, where the river was flowing, they landed on the bank and turned into beautiful girls. The girls sat down on a rock by the water and began to wash. He noticed Nyu-lan, who was the seventh of the girls from the western region, and hid her dress.
She saw Zhi-shoi the young man, immediately realized that it was he who took her dress, and said:
- Why did you take my dress? Give it back. Do you hear? Give it back!
Niu-lan doesn't give it up.
Meanwhile, the six sisters dried their clothes, began to get ready for home, and asked the seventh sister:
- And you, sister, why aren’t you going home?
- I can’t. Someone stole my dress.
The six sisters turned into white doves and flew into the sky. They flew up to the heavenly gates, returned back, calling out to the seventh sister:
- Faster, little sister! Now the gates will be locked!
Just then the red-faced fellow appeared and shouted:
- Hey! Hurry, who needs to go home!
Zhi-nyu shouted back:
- Well, let them close! I can’t go back without a dress!
The heavenly gates creaked and indeed closed.
Nyu-lan sat and still sits on the stone. Zhi-nyu came up to him and said:
“I’ll become your wife, just give me the dress!”
Niu-lan doesn't give it up.
Then Chih-nu says:
- Let's build a house, otherwise you'll freeze in the open air!
Nu-lan answers:
- What to build from when there’s not a log around! We'll sit like that.
- No, we won’t. Move over a little, sit on the edge! Close your eyes.
Zhi-shoi said this, quickly pulled out a patterned handkerchief from her embroidered wallet, spread it out, blew, and at that very moment the house grew in front of her.
The girl says:
- Open your eyes!
Nyu-lan opened his eyes, looked - the house was standing, was delighted, and clapped his hands.
They entered the house and stayed in it.
They live and live. Their daughter is growing up, she is six years old, and their son is in his third year.
So one day Chih-nui says to her husband:
- How much time has passed! Our children are already grown up. The dress you hid then will rot from old age! Better give it to me!
Niu-lan thinks: “It’s true. Our children are already grown up, let me give Zhi-nyu the dress.” Niu-lan thought so, took out a dress from under the stone, and gave it to his wife.
As soon as midnight came, Chih-nu left, abandoning her children and husband.
Niu-lan woke up, shivering from the cold, opened his eyes, looked - the sky above him was all strewn with stars, rummaged around with his hand - there was a cold stone under his head, but there was no wife. The child is crying and asking for milk. Only now did the young man remember what the old ox had told him: “If you start giving away your clothes, click me three times.” How could I forget about this?
As soon as he thought about the will, it instantly appeared before him and said:
“You see, Zhi-nyu has left.” Why didn't you call me as I told you?
- Forgot!
The ox says:
- Stab me!
- How can I stab you, my benefactor!
The ox answers:
- There is nothing to interpret in vain! When you kill me, bring some brushwood, burn my bones, and put the skin on yourself. Moreover, weave two baskets, put your son in one, and your daughter in the other, then close your eyes and go to the Southern Gate of Heaven for your wife. This gate is guarded by a golden lion. When he rushes at you, you tell him: “Don’t touch me, golden lion, I am the husband of your seventh aunt, and these are her children in red pants.” If you say so, the golden lion will calm down and go back to its place. You will pass the South Gate, you will see another gate, a silver lion is guarding it, when he rushes at you, you tell him: “Don’t touch me, silver lion! I am the husband of your seventh aunt, and these are her children in red pants.” The silver lion will calm down and go back to its place. If you enter the third gate, you will see the devil, his fangs are outward, he is holding a hammer in his hands - you cannot distinguish him from a wolf’s fang. He will rush to beat you, and you tell him: “Don’t touch me, damn it! I am the husband of your seventh aunt, and these are her children in red pants.” If you say that, the devil will stumble and fall. Your mother-in-law will come out to you. Go home with her. You will see seven girls there on a canoe, but you won’t immediately recognize which one is your wife. If you let your son go, to whom he will run, whose breast he will suck, that is your wife.
Nyu-lan did everything as the ox ordered: he put on an ox skin, entered the heavenly gates and finally found his wife.
The mother-in-law gave the young couple a house, and they began to live and get along.
Only Nyu-lan’s old father-in-law disliked him. He decided to put his son-in-law to shame and invited him to test his dexterity.
Chih-nu says to her husband:
“Father wants you to compete with him in agility tomorrow.” He will hide, so look, look for him well! First, you will search the entire yard, you will approach the southern wall, you will see a bug on the wall, this will be your father-in-law.
The next morning the old man came out into the yard, Nyu-lana called:
- Come on, son-in-law, come out, let's play with you!
Nu-lan answers:
- You are old, I am young. What kind of game is this?
The old man says:
- How important! I’ll hide now, and you try to find me! If you find it, I’ll have mercy; if you don’t find it, I’ll eat it!
The old man turned into a bug, hid himself in the southern wall, and climbed into a crack. Niu-lan is looking for him, looking for him, he searched the whole yard - there is no old man. The young man approached the southern wall, saw a bug sitting, came closer and said:
“Isn’t it you, venerable father-in-law, who turned into a bug?” If it's not you, but really a bug, I'll crush it now! Ay-ya! How stinky!
Then the old man shouts:
- It's me, it's me! Don't push me! Oops, I stepped on my beard!
Nu-lan asks:
“Won’t you eat me?”
- If I don’t eat, go home!
Nu-lan came home, and Chih-nu said to him:
- Tomorrow father will ask a riddle again. He will turn into an apple and hide in his mother’s chest. Look, search well!
The old man came out the next morning and shouted:
- Come on, son-in-law, let's play! I'll hide, and you look for me!
There is nothing to do. Nyu-lan began to look for his father-in-law. He's looking in the house, he's rummaging around behind the house, he's rummaged through a hole with grass - the old man is nowhere to be found. Then the young man entered his mother-in-law’s chambers, opened the chest, and lo and behold, there was a large red apple lying on the red parcel. The young man grabbed him and said:
“Isn’t it you, venerable father-in-law?” If it's not you, but really an apple, I'll eat it now. Apparently it tastes very good!
The old man screams:
- Let go! He tore out my entire beard again!
Niu-lan then asks him:
“Won’t you eat me?”
- I won’t eat it. Go home!
Nu-lan returned home, and Chih-nu said to him:
“Tomorrow your father will make you hide.”
Nu-lan answers:
- Hey! Where can I hide so big?
Chih-nu says:
- Don't be afraid, I will teach you what to do.
As soon as morning came, the old man again called his son-in-law:
“Come on, son-in-law, let’s play, now you hide, and I’ll look for you.”
“Go ahead,” Niu-lan agreed.
Nyu-lan squatted down, somersaulted, and turned around with an embroidery needle. Zhi-nyu jumped off the kan, picked up a needle, began to embroider, and she said:
- Look, father! Niu-lan has already hidden.
The old man rushed to look, searched the whole house, ransacked the whole yard - he couldn’t. He returned to the house and said to his old woman:
- I didn’t find him. He found me, but I didn’t find him.
Here Zhi-nyu threw a needle on the floor, again Nu-lan in front of her. Zhi-nyu tells him:
“Father wants to race with you tomorrow, make sure he doesn’t get the upper hand!”
- How will he gain the upper hand?
- Ay-ya! There's no way you can keep up with him! Go quickly to the barn, you will see red seeds there, pick up one measure and grab some red chopsticks. I will also give you a head pin made of gold. As soon as your father starts to catch up with you, I will shout: “Throw the hairpin.” Just remember, you need to throw forward, not backward!
The next morning the old man came out and called to his son-in-law:
- Hey, son-in-law! Let's run a race, you're ahead, I'm behind you. If I catch up, I’ll eat it, if I don’t catch up, I’ll have mercy!
Niu-lan agreed, and they ran. The son-in-law was in front, the father-in-law was behind, and the wife and mother-in-law took the children and set off after them.
Niu-lan runs, runs, and suddenly throws two sticks and two red grains. He runs and runs, and again he throws two sticks and two grains. The father-in-law runs, picks up sticks and grains. He picks it up, runs further, picks it up again, runs again and says:
- What a son-in-law! He should say goodbye to life, but he steals all my things!
Nyu-lan scattered all the grains, scattered all the sticks, but he still had a long way to go. Zhi-nyu sees that her husband’s father is catching up with him and is about to grab him when he shouts:
- Drop the hairpin! Faster!
The mother-in-law also shouts:
- Faster! Faster!
Nu-lan turned around, saw that his father-in-law was very close, pulled out the hairpin and threw it back. At that very moment, the heavenly river separated husband and wife. Nyu-lan remained on one bank, Zhi-nyu - on the other. The wife and children are crying. Even the mother-in-law sheds tears. Niu-lan is crying on the other side, alone.
The mother-in-law took her daughter and grandchildren into the house, and the father-in-law also left. So Nyu-lan remained to live on the other side. From then on, husband and wife could only meet on the seventh day of the seventh moon.
On this day, from the very morning, all the birds rise into the sky, the mother-in-law pulls out a feather from each: from a pockmarked magpie, from a simple magpie, from larks and swallows, she builds a bridge from feathers.
By the evening of the seventh day of the seventh moon, if you look at the sky all the time, you can see the Milky Way - a long, very long bridge across the Heavenly River. On this bridge the Bootes - Nyu-lan and the Weaver - Zhi-nyu meet. If you hide in the vines, you can hear their conversation. Chih-nu says to her husband with resentment:
“I told you to throw the hairpin forward, but you threw it back, so the Heavenly River separated us!”
Nu-lan answers:
“I saw that your father was catching up with me, and out of fear I forgot what you ordered.” Three hundred and sixty days a year, three hundred and sixty cups and three hundred and sixty cauldrons at Nyu-lan. When Zhi-nyu arrives, he will wash everything and put it in a pile. And he washes and mends all the clothes.
And on the sixteenth day of the seventh moon she goes to her mother; she can’t stay with Nu-lan any longer.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru