漢朝時有個叫董永的人，住在千乘縣，他從小就沒有了母親，和父親一起幫人耕作，父親死了，他沒有錢安葬，便賣身做奴，主人知道他的孝心，不但給他一萬文錢，還放他回去。
三年守喪期滿後，董永準備回去主人家還債，在路上碰到一位漂亮的女子，她對董永說：「我願意做你的妻子。」董永說：「我身無分文，而且要去主人家做奴才還債，妳跟著我會吃苦的。」女子堅持要嫁給他，董永只好把她帶到主人家。
主人對董永說：「錢是我送你的，你回去吧！」董永說：「我不能平白拿你的錢，讓我做工還你的恩情。」，於是主人說：「那你的妻子會做什麼？」董永回答：「她很會織布。」主人說：「只要你妻子替我織一百疋（即四百丈長）的雙絲細絹就可以了。」
董永的妻子花了十天，便將一百疋細絹織好了，這時董永便帶著妻子離開主人家，到了家門口時，妻子對董永說：「我是天上的織女，因為你十分孝順，所以天帝要我下凡來幫助你還債。」說完，便向天上飛去，不知去向了。
During the Han Dynasty, there was a man named Dong Yong. He lived in Chien Sheng County. Dong Yong’s mother died when he was still a child. He and his father tilled the fields for a living. They were so poor that Dong Yong did not have enough money to buy a coffin when his father died. He sold himself as a slave for money to bury his father. Dong Yong’s master was so touched by his filial piety, that he gave Dong Yong ten thousand coins and allowed him to go home to mourn his father.
After his three-year mourning period ended, Dong Yong prepared to set off toward his master’s house to repay his debt. On the way, he met a beautiful lady. She told Dong Yong, “I am willing to be your wife.” Dong Yong said, “I am penniless, and I am going to my master’s house to work as a slave to repay my debt. You will suffer if you marry me.” However, the beautiful girl insisted on marrying him. So, Dong Yong brought her to his master’s house.
Dong Yong’s master told him, “I do not need you to repay the money, you may go home now.” Dong Yong said, “A debt must be repaid. Please allow me to repay your kindness.” So, the master asked, “What can your wife do?” Dong Yong replied, “She is a skilled weaver.” The master said, “If your wife can weave four hundred yards of precious silk cloth for me, your debt shall be repaid.”
Dong Yong’s wife took only ten days to finish weaving the silk cloth. Dong Yong finally repaid his debt, and earned his freedom. When Dong Yong returned to his own home, his wife told him, “I am a weaver girl from heaven. The Heavenly Emperor saw that you are a filial son and asked me to come down to earth to help you to repay your debt.” After she finished speaking, the weaver girl bid goodbye to Dong Yong and flew back to heaven.
