Orihime and Hikoboshi - Japanese

High up in the sky lived a princess named Orihime. She was a weaver princess. Her job was to weave beautiful, colorful clothes from fluffy clouds. The clothes were bright and soft for the gods to wear. One day, Orihime was working by the big, sparkly river in the sky. The river was called the Amanogawa. She saw a kind boy named Hikoboshi. He was taking care of his herd of sky-cows. They waved and smiled. They became the best of friends. This is the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi.

Orihime and Hikoboshi loved to play together. They played all day long. They had so much fun they forgot all about their work. Orihime's loom grew quiet and dusty. Hikoboshi's cows wandered far across the sky. The Sky King, Orihime's father, was not happy. He said they had to do their jobs. To make sure they did, he put the big, sparkly Amanogawa river between them. Orihime was on one side, and Hikoboshi was on the other. They were so far apart and so very sad. They cried and cried until their tears made the Sky King's heart feel a little softer.

He saw how sad they were and made a special rule. He said they could see each other, but only for one special night each year. On the 7th day of the 7th month, they are allowed to meet. If it rains, the river is too high to cross. But kind birds called magpies fly together. They make a bridge with their wings just for Orihime and Hikoboshi. Every year, people celebrate this night, which is called Tanabata. They write wishes on colorful paper and hang them on bamboo, hoping their dreams will come true, just like the dream of two friends who get to see each other under the stars.