A story from Central Java
A few centuries ago, in a small village near the mountain, there lived a kind peasant couple. Their house was far from the other villagers’ houses. They lived happily with each other, but it seemed there was someone missing. They were childless. For years, they prayed to God for a child, but their prayer had not been answered.
One day, a green giant named Buto Ijo passed their house and heard their prayer. He called them and gave them a small bundle.
“Take this, and you shall have a child. But remember, when the child is seventeen years old, you should return it to me,” said Buto Ijo.
The farmer and his wife were so taken aback by Buto Ijo that they agreed. Buto Ijo handed them the bundle and went away.
Curious, they opened the bundle. They saw a tiny cucumber seed inside it.
“It’s only a seed. I wonder how it can give us a child,” said the wife.
“No matter. There’s no harm in trying. I’ll plant it and see what happens,” said the husband.
A few months later, a cucumber plant grew in their yard. Strangely, it only yielded one big, golden cucumber. Still waiting for some miracle, the farmer picked it and cut it carefully into halves. How surprised and delighted they were when they heard a tiny cry inside the cucumber! Inside it, there was a small, beautiful baby girl. They decided to raise her as their own daughter and called her Timun Mas, which meant “golden cucumber.”
Since the farmer and his wife found Timun Mas, their lives became happier. Each day raising her was a pleasure. Timun Mas grew into a beautiful girl who was devoted to her parents. Without their realizing it, seventeen years already passed. At last, it was Timun Mas’ 17th birthday.
A loud thud sounded near their house. It was the sound of heavy footsteps.
“Mother, what is it?” whispered Timun Mas, frightened.
The farmer’s wife gasped. “It is Buto Ijo, the green giant! He has come to take you away.”
“Why, Mother? Why must he take me away?” asked Timun Mas.
“Seventeen years ago, he came to us promising a child. We were to return the child to him when she was seventeen years old. We were so shocked that we agreed. You are that child.”
“I don’t want to go with him, Mother. He looks evil!” cried Timun Mas. “Let’s think of something. We should be able to trick him.”
“Wait, Timun Mas. I have an idea,” said her mother. She gave Timun Mas a cloth bundle. “Here, take this. Throw each thing one by one when he is chasing you.”
Outside, Buto Ijo roared. “Woman, where is the child? I am starving! I want to eat the child! Give her to me or I shall take her by force!” he shouted.
The door opened. “Run, Timun Mas!” whispered the famer’s wife.
“Buto Ijo! If you want me, you have to catch me!” yelled Timun Mas, running as fast as she could.
The chase began. Buto Ijo’s footsteps made small earthquakes wherever he went. Timun Mas’ heart wavered. Then she remembered her mother’s bundle and took something from inside it. It was a pinch of salt. She threw it behind her. Suddenly, the salt turned into a sea, drowning Buto Ijo. However, he managed to swim across it.
When Buto Ijo almost caught her again, Timun Mas threw the second item. It was a needle. Suddenly, a bamboo forest appeared behind her. The sharp bamboo stalks hurt Buto Ijo’s feet. He cried in pain. Yet, once again, he was able to get through the forest and back into the chase.
Timun Mas threw the third item, cucumber seeds. A forest full of cucumber vines grew behind her. Buto Ijo was distracted. He devoured the cucumbers until he was full. Then he fell asleep. Still, Timun Mas did not stop.
A few moments later, Buto Ijo awoke. He pursued Timun Mas again. Timun Mas took the last item in her bundle. It was terasi, a shrimp paste her mother often used for cooking. She threw it behind her. The terasi turned into a lake of mud. Buto Ijo tried to swim across it, but the mud pulled him downward. He sank into the mud and died inside the lake.
Relieved, Timun Mas went home. Her father and mother were overjoyed when they found her safe. She embraced them and told them of what happened to Buto Ijo. After that, Timun Mas and her parents lived happily for a long time.
“Thankfully, Buto Ijo will never disturb us again,” said the farmer.
“Yes, Father, thanks to Mother’s magical bundle,” said Timun Mas.
