and fell in love with the mortal Buffalo Boy (or Cowherd), (associated with the star Altair). The Celestial Queen Mother was jealous and separated the lovers, but the Goddess Weaver stopped weaving the Silver River, which threatened heaven and earth with darkness. The lovers were separated, but are able to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh moon. Japan The Japanese folktale Tsuru no Ongaeshi features a weaving theme. A crane, rescued by a childless elderly couple, appears to them in the guise of a girl who cares for them out of gratitude for their kindness and is adopted as their daughter. She secretly begins weaving stunningly beautiful cloth for the couple to sell under the condition that they may not see her weave. Though the couple initially comply, they are overcome with curiosity and find the girl is the crane who has been weaving the cloth from her own feathers, leaving her in a pitiful state. With her identity discovered, she must leave the remorseful couple. A variation of the story replaces the elderly couple with a man, who marries the crane when she takes on the form of a young woman. Christian hagiography Multiple individuals have been designated as patron saints of various aspects of textile work. The mythology and folklore surrounding their patronage can be found in their respective hagiographies. According to the Gospel of James, the Blessed Virgin Mary was weaving the veil for the Holy of Holies when the Annunciation occurred. Textiles generally: Anthony Mary Claret is a Catholic patron saint of textile merchants. Saint Homobonus is a Catholic patron saint of tailors and clothworkers. Saint Maurice is considered a patron saint of weavers, dyers, and clothmaking in general in Coptic Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Parascheva of the Balkans is a patron of embroiderers, needle workers, spinners, and weavers among the Eastern Orthodox. Drapers: St. Blaise is the patron saint of drapers. Dyers: Lydia of Thyatira, a New Testament figure, is a patron saint of dyers in both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Saint Maurice is also associated with dyers. Fulling: Anastasius the Fuller is the patron saint of fulling in the Catholic Church. Glovers: Mary Magdalene is a patron saint of glovers in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church. Gummarus is a patron saint of glovers in the Catholic church. Saints