Is there a myth about two lovers involving the Milky way?

Question

I saw some lame movie late at night a long time ago. I don't remember the movie or who was in the movie. What I do recall (loosly) is that some guy told some girl about a myth involving two lovers who where seperated by the Milky Way (I think). Can anyone clear this up? Name of the myth and the origin?

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure the following is not the one you are referring to but just for the record, in Chinese Mythology, there is one such story.
It goes like this;

'There was a lake in China where 7 fairies would come down to bathe themselves. They were the daughters of the Jade Emperor and were in charge of weaving clouds into clothes for the deities, hence they were called the Weaving Maids

One day, a cowherd happened to chance upon them while they are bathing. He was stunned by their beauty and stole the garments belonging to one of the sisters. Without her fairy raiment, she could not ascend into the heavens and so, she married the Cowherd and lived happily.

Finally, came upon a day when she found her clothes which her husband had stolen and she proceeded to fly back into the heavens for she had missed the times she spent with her sisters.

The cowherd chased her in vain and begged the heavens to allow the couple to live together. His sincerity touched the crows and they told him to put himself and his child into a basket and they would lift him up into the heavens.

The Jade Emperor, angered by the impudence of a mere mortal , ordered him to be struck down. The Weaver Maid, seeing her husband and child died, became so sorrowful that the Jade Emperor was so touched by their love, finally relented the husband to become a constellation the Cowherd. The Weaver Maid and the Cowherd constellation would remain divided by the Milky Way the entire year, except on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar year, a bridge formed by crows would allow them to reunite.

This legend also gives the explanation why the birds loses the head feathers, as their head where trodden by the eager lovers

On that day, many women in the past would pray to the Weaver Maid, wishing that they would too meet their man of their dreams.'

Answer 2

Yes you are right in Japenese Mythology and a festival is held every year on 7 July called Tanabata.
It is about a devoted herdman who followed his love to the heavely realms and her father created the great celestial river of the Milky way to keep the herdsman at bay. But because so devoted the Gods let them cross once every year to see each other.

Answer 3

I do not know of a myth regarding 2 lovers, but....The Cherokee's have a legend of the milky way, and it goes like this....
A dog had gone into the camp when all were sleeping....the dog was spotted and he flew upwards towards the sky....while doing so he had with him corn meal...as he flew upwards the corn meal spread, (Milky Way). Vultures swooped down from the Father Sky and ate the bad, miss-givings, and untruths behind the dog.