In the Han Dynasty lived a man by the name of Dong Yong.

汉朝时有个人叫董永。

His family was poor when he was a small child.

他自幼家贫，

When his father died, he was willing to sell himself into slavery for a little money for the funeral.

父亲死后无钱下葬，只好到富户傅员外家为奴，卖身葬父。

Moved by his filial piety¹, the youngest daughter of the Emperor of Heaven secretly came to the secular² world.

玉皇大帝的小女儿七仙女爱董永诚实孝顺，私自来到凡间，

With the soil as their matchmaker, they held a wedding under an old locust³ tree.

请土地为媒，在老槐树下与董永结为夫妻，

In order to repay the debt, the couple returned to the master to work as slaves.

两人一同到傅员外家为奴偿债。

Since the fairy could weave ten bolts of fine silk overnight,

因七仙女一夜之间织锦10匹，

the master cut down Dong Yong’s hire period from three years to one hundred days.

所以傳员外将董永的3年佣期改为百日。

On the expiration⁴, the couple were returning home when the God of Heaven made an edict that the fairy should go back to the heavenly palace.

百日期满，夫妻双双正要回家，不料，七仙女私自下凡一事被玉皇大帝获悉，下旨令七仙女返回天宫。

Shedding tears, the fairy had to part with Dong Yong under the old locust tree.

七仙女只得与董永在老槐树下洒泪相别，

She flew into the sky and vanished.

飞回天上了。