Timun Mas (The Golden Cucumber)

Folklore from Central Java

ONCE upon a time, not far from a jungle, lived a husband and a wife. They were
farmers. They were diligent farmers and always worked hard in the paddy fields. They
had been married for many years and still not have a child yet. Every day they prayed
and prayed for a child.

One night, while they were praying, a giant passed their house. The giant heard they
pray.

"Don't worry farmers. I can give you a child. But you have to give me that child when
she is 17 years old," said the giant.

The farmers were so happy. They did not think about the risk of losing their child later
and agree to take the offer. Later, the giant gave them a bunch of cucumber seeds. The
farmers planted them carefully. Then the seeds changed into plants.

Not longer after that, a big golden cucumber grew from plants. After it had ripe, the
farmers picked and cut it. They were very surprised to see beautiful girl inside the
cucumber. They named her Timun Mas or Golden Cucumber. Years passed by
and Timun Mas has changed into a beautiful girl.

On her 17th birthday, Timun Mas was very happy. However, the parents were very sad.
They knew they had to keep their promise to the giant but they also did not want to lose
their beloved daughter.

"My daughter, take this bag. It can save you from the giant," said the father.

"What do you mean, Father? I don't understand," said Timun Mas.

Right after that, the giant came into their house.

"Run Timun Mas. Save your life!" said the mother. The giant was angry. He knew the
farmers wanted to break their promise. He chased Timun Mas away. The giant was
getting closer and closer.

Timun Mas then opened the bag and threw a handful of salt. It became a sea. The giant
had to swim to cross the sea. Later, Timun Mas threw some chilli. It became a jungle
with trees. The trees had sharp thorns so they hurt the giant.

However, the giant was still able to chase Timun Mas. Timun Mas took her third magic
stuff. It was cucumber seeds. She threw them and became cucumber field.

But the giant still could escape from the field. Then it was the last magic stuff she had in
the bag. It was a shrimp paste, terasi. She threw it and became a big swamp.

The giant was still trying to swim the swamp but he was very tired. Then he was
drowning and died. Timun Mas then immediately went home. The farmers were so
happy that they finally together again. ***
Timun Mas

Cerita Rakyat dari Jawa Tengah

PADA suatu waktu, tidak jauh dari hutan, tinggal suami dan istri. Mereka adalah
petani yang rajin dan selalu bekerja keras di sawah. Mereka telah menikah selama
bertahun-tahun dan masih belum memiliki anak belum. Setiap hari mereka selalu
berdoa untuk dikaruniai anak.

Suatu malam, saat mereka sedang berdo'a, raksasa melewati rumah mereka. Raksasa
itu mendengar mereka berdoa.

"Jangan khawatir petani. Saya bisa memberikan anak. Tapi Anda harus memberikan
anak itu saat dia berusia 17 tahun," kata raksasa itu.

Para petani sangat bahagia. Mereka tidak berpikir tentang risiko kehilangan anak
mereka dikemudian hari dan setuju untuk mengambil tawaran. Kemudian, raksasa itu
memberi mereka sekelompok biji mentimun. Para petani menanam dengan hati-hati.
Kemudian bibit berubah menjadi tanaman.

Tidak lama setelah itu, mentimun emas besar tumbuh dari tanaman. Setelah matang,
para petani mengambil dan memotongnya. Mereka sangat terkejut melihat anak yang
cantik di dalam mentimun. Mereka menamai dia Mas Timun. Tahun berlalu dan Timun
Mas telah berubah menjadi seorang gadis cantik.

Pada ulang tahunnya yang ke-17 nya, Timun Mas sangat senang. Namun, orang tuanya
sangat sedih. Mereka tahu mereka harus memenuhi janji mereka kepada raksasa
tetapi mereka juga tidak ingin kehilangan putri kesayangannya.

"Anakku, ambillah tas ini. Ini dapat menyelamatkanmu dari raksasa," kata sang ayah.

"Apa maksudmu, Ayah? Aku tidak mengerti," kata Timun Mas.

Tepat setelah itu, raksasa datang ke rumah mereka.

"Pergilah Timun Mas. Selamatkan hidupmu!" kata sang ibu. Raksasa itu marah. Dia
tahu para petani ingin melanggar janji mereka. Dia mengejar Timun Mas pergi.
Raksasa itu semakin mendekat.

Timun Mas kemudian membuka tas dan melemparkan segenggam garam yang
kemudian menjadi lautan. Raksasa itu harus berenang untuk menyeberangi laut.
Kemudian, Timun Mas melemparkan beberapa buah cabe yang kemudian menjadi
hutan dengan pohon-pohon. Pohon-pohon memiliki duri yang tajam sehingga mereka
menyakiti raksasa.

Namun, raksasa itu masih bisa mengejar Timun Mas. Timun Mas mengambil barang-
barang sihir ketiga yaitu biji mentimun. Dia melemparkannya dan menjadi kebun
mentimun.

Tapi raksasa masih bisa melarikan diri dari lapangan. Maka itu adalah hal terakhir
yang dia punya sihir di kantong. Itu adalah terasi. Dia melemparkannya dan menjadi
rawa besar.

Raksasa masih berusaha berenang di rawa tapi ia sangat lelah. Lalu ia tenggelam dan
tewas. Timun Mas kemudian segera pulang. Keluarga petani sangat senang karena
akhirnya mereka bersama lagi.***
 THE DREAMING PRIEST

Long time ago there lived a priest who was extremely lazy and poor at the
same time. He did not want to do any hard work but used to dream of being
rich one day. He got his food by begging for alms. One morning he got a
pot of milk as part of the alms. He was extremely delighted and went home
with the pot of milk. He boiled the milk, drank some of it and put the
remaining milk in a pot. He added slight curds in the pot for converting the
milk to curd. He then lay down to sleep.

Soon he started imagining about the pot of curd while he lay asleep. He
dreamed that if he could become rich somehow all his miseries would be
gone. His thoughts turned to the pot of milk he had set to form curd. He
dreamed on; “By morning the pot of milk would set, it would be converted to
curd. I would churn the curd and make butter from it. I would heat the butter
and make ghee out of it. I will then go to that market and sell that ghee, and
make some money. With that money i will buy a hen. The hen will lay may
eggs which will hatch and there will be many chicken. These chicken will in
turn lay hundreds of eggs and I will soon have a poultry farm of my own.”
He kept on imagining.

“I will sell all the hens of my poultry and buy some cows, and open a milk
dairy. All the town people will buy milk from me. I will be very rich and soon
I shall buy jewels. The king will buy all the jewels from me. I will be so rich
that I will be able to marry an exceptionally beautiful girl from a rich family.
Soon I will have a handsome son. If he does any mischief I will be very
angry and to teach him a lesson, I will hit him with a big stick.”During this
dream, he involuntarily picked up the stick next to his bed and thinking that
he was beating his son, raised the stick and hit the pot. The pot of milk
broke and he awoke from his day dream.

Moral: There is no substitute for hard work. Dreams cannot be fulfilled without
hard work.