Love is eternal. Love is also ancient. There has been so much talk about love in all forms of art. Folklore too, has love as one of its main elements. There are many folklore legends and myths that revolves around love and lovers. These legends and stories may be known to you, or they may be not.
The following list will introduce you to some famous romantic stories from folklore around the world.
Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai’s love story is one of the most famous folktale in the Chinese culture. In the eastern Zin Dynasty, Zhu is the only daughter of a wealthy merchant. While women were traditionally discouraged from studying scriptures or attending school, Zhu’s father allows her to study. Donning a disguise of a man, she attends school in Hangzhou. There she meets Liang Shanbo. They have an instant connection and become brothers.
Wile Zhu hides her true identity, she starts developing feeling for her fellow schoolmate. But this love is not yet to be fulfilled. Her father sends her a letter, urging her to return home. But Zhu has already given her heart to Liang. When Liang travels with his “sworn brother” to accompany Zhu safely home, she drops several hints indicating her true identity. Yet Liang is unaware.
Later when Liang comes to know of the truth, it is too late. While they both finally confess their feeling, their union become impossible. Zhu’s family has already given her hand in marriage to some other man. Upon hearing this, Liang becomes severely ill and dies. When Zhu finally gets married, the wind above Liang’s grave forbids the bridal procession to continue. Zhu, in despair, goes to the grave and cries bitterly. The grave opens and suddenly they are joined together. Morphing into butterflies, they fly together, never to be separated again. Hence they are known as the “Butterfly Lovers”. Tell me you aren’t fascinated!
The Cowherd and The Weaver Girl is a love story which is out of this world. Quite literally. Zhinu, the weaver girl falls in love with Niulang, the Cowherd. Also, their love is not fated to survive. While Zhinu is considered the planet Vega, Niulang symbolizes the star Altair. Separated by the Milky Way, which is the Silver river, they can only meet once a year. It is believed that when the flock of magpies makes a bridge on the 7th lunar day of the 7th month in Chinese calendar, these lover will unite for a night.
Qixi festival in China celebrates the love story of these lovers. This also accounts for Chinese Valentine’s Day. The story is well known in Chinese folklore, as well as in many cultures of neighboring countries, though with a different version of the same story..
Lady Meng Jiang’s devotion and love for her husband has been celebrated in Chinese folklore. The versions of folktale set in Qin dynsaty talks about Lady Jiang’s husband who was forced to serve the kingdom. He was forced to work as a corvee laborer to make the Great Wall Of China.
Without bidding farewell to his wife, her husband left. Meng Jiang traveled to bring clothes for her husband for winter. Sadly, upon reaching, she came o know that he had died. Hearing that, she wept so furiously that her anguish caused The Great Wall to collapse. Her love for her husband and her sorrow upon his death is widely known and remembered. Even though the folktale has many versions, they all point towards one thing: the devotional love of Lady Meng Jiang.
If you are interested in Indian folklore and folktales, you must have heard of Heer-Ranjha. The tragic couple is hailed as the epitome of love and devotion. The poem alluding to this pair was written by Waris Shah and is widely known and praised. The pair’s love story depicts the way lovers are ostracized. Both Heer and Ranjha never gets married due to various problems and obstructions.
Heer and Ranjha are believed to be real people in some versions of the poem. Nevertheless, it is believed that they are buried in Heer’s hometown Junga. Couples smitten in love often visit their mausoleum to pray for a successful union.
Mirza and Sahiban’s love story is another Indian legend. They are quite popular in Indian folklore as well. Mirza and Sahiban cannot unite as lovers due to familial resistance. Mirza’s mother and Sahiban’s father are “milk sibling”, meaning that they were breastfeed from same woman. This makes them “cousins”. But when Mirza finally comes to live with his uncle, he fell for Sahiban.
Upon receiving same affections, they both starts meeting secretly. However, their romantic rendezvous doesn’t last long and they are caught by Sahiban’s family. Mirza is forced to leave and Sahiban is chosen to marry another man. When Mirza finally take Sahiban with him and they elope. The end, however, is painful. Mirza and Sahiban has a tragic end with both of their death. If you are interested to read further about them, you should read the poem. It is not only a great love story, but also a fine work of literature.
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