Timun Mas

Timun Mas

Once upon a time, there was an old widow named Mbok Sirni. He lived alone in his hut which located at near forest. She was so lonely. She had not been blessed with any children until her husband left her forever. Although her husband was gone long ago, Mbok Sirni still hoped for a child. Every day she prayed that might be one day someone would give her a child. So she would not feel lonely anymore.

One day, a big-scary giant heard Mbok Sirni’s prayer of asking a child. The giant decided to grant her wish by giving her what she wanted. The giant gave her a child not because of his compassion to the old lonely window. The giant just wanted to take an advantage of Mbok Sirni to raise the child for him. So when the child got older, the giant would come back and took the child back for his meal.

“Heyy,, you lonely old widow.” Said the giant with a loud voice.

“Ahhhhh… Please.. Please don’t hurt me.. Please don’t eat me.” Scream Mbok Sirni frightened.

“I come here not to hurt you nor eat you. Instead, I come here want to help you.” Said the giant.

“I come here to grant your wish. I want to give you a child.” The giant continued.

“Is.. Is it true?” Asked Mbok Sirni frightened.

“Yes, it is. Take this cucumber seed and plant in the yard. From this seed you will have a child.” Answer the giant.

“Thank.. Thank you, giant. Thank you for granting my wish.” Said Mbok Sirni.

“However, I will give you this seed under one condition. You have to give the child back to me when she was 17.”

Thinking shortly, Mbok Sirni agreed. With full of joy, she received the cucumber seed. She then planted it in the yard. In the next day, the seed grew. It grew bigger and faster day by day. However, not like any other cucumber plant, it only had one cucumber, a golden cucumber. The cucumber was big and heavy. When the cucumber was huge enough, Mbok Sirni harvested it. Mbok Sirni did not know what she should do with the cucumber. So she decided to cut it in a half. How shock she was when she found out there was a cute baby girl inside the cucumber. She wept happily. She now had a daughter. She named the baby girl ‘Timun Mas’ (golden cucumber).

Mbok Sirni had never been that happy before. She took care Timun Mas with all her love. Timun Mas grew up became a beautiful girl. She was also so kind and loved to help Mbok Sirni. Timun Mas was now 16. There was only couple of days left before she turned to 17. Remembered the pack she made with the giant, made Mbok Sirni depressed. Timun Mas noticed there was something wrong with Mbok Sirni. She then asked Mbok Sini about what was actually happen. Mbok Sirni told Timun Mas everything, about the giant, the pack she made, and Timun Mas origin. Mbok Sirni did not want to Timan Mas left; so did Timun Mas.

Two days before the giant came; Mbok Sirni still did not know what to do. However, when she looked at the forest, Mbok Sirni remembered there was old hermit who lived in the middle of the forest. Mbok Sirni wanted to go there to ask the solution to her problems. She then hurried to the old hermit placed and met him. Mbok Sirni told everything to the hermit. The hermit understood the situation and decided to help Mbok Sirni. He gave Mbok Sinri four objects; a cucumber seed, a needle, salt, and shrimp paste or ‘terasi’ (fermented shrimp). The hermit suggested using those objects to defeat the giant.

As she arrived at home, Mbok Sirni gave the four objects to Timun Mas and explained how to use them. Timun Mas was now ready to face the giant. In the next day, the giant came to Mbok Sirni as it was promised. The giant came to take back Timun Mas. While Mbok Sirni came out to see the giant, Timun Mas quietly run to escape through the back yard. Unfortunately, the giant saw it and then run tried to chase Timun Mas.

Timun Mas run as fast as she could, but the giant run faster. Remembered the four objects Mbok Sirni gave to her, Timun Mas threw the first object, a cucumber seed. Magically, the cucumber seed turned to very dense cucumber plants with lot of cucumbers. The cucumbers looked fresh and juicy and they attracted the giant’s attention. The giant stopped at that moment and ate those cucumbers greedily. However, those cucumbers did not make the giant satisfied. Knew he was being fooled, the giant run and tried to chase Timun Mas over again.

Even though Timun Mas had made long gap with the giant, with wide step, the giant reduce it. The giant got closer and closer to Timun Mas. And when the giant reached his hand to catch Timun Mas, the second object, the needle, was thrown. Magically, the needle turned to be tall-sharp bamboo forest. The bamboos are very sharp; they injured the giant really bad especially in his food. Bamboo forest was also thick which blocked the giant to reach Timun Mas. However, with huge desires to eat Timun Mas, the giant cut all the bamboos and then run to chase Timun Mas once more.

Timun Mas had made long distance with the giant because of the bamboo forest. Without wasting time to see the giant got closer to her again, Timun Mas thrown the third object, the salt. Suddenly, the distance between Timun Mas and the giant turned to be a vast sea. The giant was shocked, yet he still wanted to eat Timun Mas. Thus, the giant swam across the sea to chase Timun Mas. The injury he got from bamboo forest was getting worst because of the salty water of the sea. Yet, the giant kept swimming and succeed to reach the shore finally.

With all his remaining strength, the giant run to chase Timun Mas all over again. The giant kept running although it was not as fast as before. It might be because of injury he got. However, the giant could reduce the distance with Timun Mas. Seeing the giant were getting closer, Timun Mas decided to thrown the last object, the shrimp paste (terasi). Mysteriously, the shrimp paste turned to be big swamp. The giant was sucked into the swamp. This time, the giant could not escape. He had no strength anymore. His body kept sinking sucked by the swamp till the giant completely disappeared.

Timun Mas wept happily, now the giant did not chase her anymore. She was so grateful. Timun Mas then went back to Mbok Sirni. Mbok Sirni was so happy to see Timun Mas again. They both cried tears of joyful. Timun Mas told everything to Mbok Sirni; about the magical objects she gave and about the giant. Now, both Mbok Sirni and Timun Mas did not afraid of the giant would disturb them anymore. They now lived happily ever after.

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