Timun Mas ( Golden Cucumber )

The story began when a lonely old couple met a stupid ugly giant. The couple had no child but they were dying to have one. The giant said he could help them but with a term. So these God’s creatures made an agreement. The giant gave them a magic cucumber seed to grow a child and when the child grew up, they had to give the child up.

The magic seed was planted in the yard. In weeks, a big cucumber came out of it. They took the cucumber to their house and sliced it. There was a baby girl in it. They were very surprise and happy. Finally, they had a child. The baby girl was named Timun Mas (Golden Cucumber). Timun Mas became a nice girl. She loved her stepparents and always obeyed them. She took care of them and never hurt them. Her stepparents loved her more and more.

In short years, Timun Mas became a young girl. The day to give her up to the giant was getting closer. The couple was worried. They could not fulfill their promise to the giant. They loved Timun Mas too much to give her up. Therefore, they were looking for a way to break the promise.

In the afternoon, the giant came to their house. He wanted to take Timun Mas as their agreement. The old couple saw the giant coming. They told Timun Mas to run away.

“Why I have to run away?” Timun Mas asked.

“Because the giant wants to eat you,” answered her stepparents. Timun Mas looked pale. She was afraid to be eaten by the giant. Her stepparents gave her cucumber seed, needles, salt and fermented shrimp paste. “Use these for your protection,” they said. Timun Mas went out from the kitchen door. Her stepparents went to front to meet the giant.

“Where is Timun Mas? I come here to take her,” the giant asked in his loud voice.

“She was not here,” the old couple answered with frightened tremble.

“Where is she?” he asked again.

“She left”

“Are you trying to cut our agreement?” the giant asked angrily.

The old couple got more trembles. “We couldn’t give her. We loved her too much”.

The giant eyes were wider. He was very angry. He chased Timun Mas. Timun Mas saw the giant. She spread the cucumber seed. Suddenly, there were large cucumbers between them. Timun Mas run faster. The blocked cucumbers did not hold the giant. He could smash the cucumbers easily. Then he chased her again. When he was getting closer, Timun Mas spread the needles. Suddenly, there were bamboo trees growing from the land. The giant run the blockade. His body was wounded because of the trees were sharp. However, the giant would not give up. He was still chasing Timun Mas. Timun Mas run again. And when he almost got her, she spread the salt. Suddenly, the land became an ocean. The giant tried to swim. Although he almost drowned, he was still chasing Timun Mas. Then Timun Mas spread her last weapon –the fermented shrimp paste- and suddenly the ocean became a mud ocean. The mud sucked the giant until his head. Then he never showed up again.

Timun Mas then went home. Her stepparents were very happy to see their daughter home.

This story was not very good for children because it teaches you to break your promises, even with an ugly giant. But this story also tells you that parent’s love was very big and makes them to do anything to protect their child even though they were not your birth parents. So read this story just for fun. Ok ?