Long ago in the heavens, Jiknyeo, the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, lived among the clouds as a gifted weaver. With patient hands and a pure heart, she wove brilliant ribbons of five colored clouds that painted the sky with beauty and order. Across the vast Silver River lived Gyeonwoo, a humble and hardworking cowherd, whose daily task was to care for the celestial cattle that sustained the heavenly realm. Both were known for their diligence, kindness, and quiet devotion to their duties.
Seeing their virtue, the Heavenly Emperor allowed Jiknyeo and Gyeonwoo to marry, believing that two responsible souls would build a harmonious life together. At first, their love was gentle and sincere. However, as time passed, they became deeply absorbed in their happiness. Jiknyeo stopped weaving the clouds, and the once radiant sky grew dull and colorless. Gyeonwoo neglected the cattle, allowing them to wander freely and disrupt the order of heaven. Love, once a blessing, had slowly turned into distraction.
Angered by their neglect, the Heavenly Emperor delivered a harsh punishment. He separated the couple forever by placing Gyeonwoo on the eastern side of the Silver River and Jiknyeo on the western side. The wide river of stars became an unbreakable boundary between them. They could see each other from afar, yet never touch. Out of mercy, the Emperor allowed them to meet only once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
When that long awaited day finally arrived, the lovers rushed to the river’s edge, only to face despair. The Silver River was too wide to cross, and no bridge existed. Standing on opposite shores, they called out to one another and wept in sorrow. Their cries fell to the human world below as heavy rain. Moved by such devotion, magpies and crows flew up from Earth, gathering wing to wing to form a living bridge across the stars. This bridge became known as Ojakgyo, the Bridge of Magpies.
At last, Jiknyeo and Gyeonwoo crossed the bridge and embraced, their tears of sorrow turning into tears of joy. People on Earth believed that the rain before the seventh day was dust stirred up by their hurried steps, the rain on that night was their happiness overflowing, and the rain the following morning was their sorrowful farewell as they parted once more to wait another year.
This timeless legend honors faithful love, patience, and hope through separation, while also reminding us that true happiness requires balance between love and responsibility. The story of Jiknyeo and Gyeonwoo continues to shine like the stars themselves, teaching that even the deepest love must walk hand in hand with duty to endure forever.