Folklore And Legends
TIMUN MAS FOLKLORE

One day, in a village in Central Java, there was a middle-aged widow living alone. This old woman named Mbok Srini, her husband had died a long time ago and she had no children. Mbok Srini spends his days alone and every day he feels bored and bored because he does not have someone to accompany him.

Mbok Srini has always wanted to have children. However, this one dream could never be realized. Plus, now that he has no husband, the possibility of him having children is of course lost. Mbok Srini can only wait for a miracle to come to him so that he can have children. Mbok Srini always prays to God every morning, afternoon, and night so that God can see him and give Mbok Srini a child.

Then, one night, Mbok Srini dreamed of a giant who told him to go get a package under a big tree in the forest where he usually looks for firewood. When he woke up in the morning, of course Mbok Srini was confused by the meaning of the dream. With doubts and curiosity in his mind, Mbok Srini still walked into the forest and followed his feelings. As he arrived in the forest he looked for the parcel that was under the big tree— like the one in his dream last night.

Actually, Mbok Srini hoped that the package he wanted to find contained a baby, but what he found was just a cucumber seed. His heart was disappointed and sad. Suddenly, there was a giant approaching him while laughing out loud. “What do you mean give me a cucumber seed?” Mbok Srini asked while shouting but still holding back his emotions. When Mbok Srini noticed the giant, it turned out that the giant that last night approached him.

Mbok Srini was frightened, he felt the giant would eat it. Mbok Srini begged the giant to feel pity and let him stay alive. “Quiet, don't be afraid. I won't eat you, old lady!” Said the giant. Apparently, this giant asked Mbok Srini to plant cucumber seeds that he gave. He said he would be given a daughter if he planted it. However, when the child is an adult, Mbok Srini must give the child back to the giant because he will eat it. Because Mbok Srini wanted a child so badly, he agreed to the agreement.

When he returned home, Mbok Srini planted the cucumber seeds into his home field. Mbok Srini takes care of the cucumber seeds very well every day. Two months later, the plant began to change, and the cucumber plant only bore one fruit. The more days, this special cucumber fruit becomes bigger, bigger than cucumbers in general. The color also shows a golden yellow color, looks beautiful.

When the cucumber was already very large, Mbok Srini picked it and when it split, there was a baby girl who was very beautiful. Mbok Srini was very happy to hear the sound of the baby crying. He also gave the name Timun Mas. Mbok Srini felt so happy that he forgot that he had made a promise to the giant he would give this baby to her one day. Mbok Srini raised Timun Mas with compassion and patience. Cucumber Mas grew up to be a beautiful, kind, and very intelligent woman.

One night, Mbok Srini again dreamed of being visited by a giant who gave a message that within a week, he would pick up Timun Mas. Since then, Mbok Srini often pensively alone. He kept thinking that he would part with his son whom he loved dearly. Sometimes, tears fell on her cheeks without her noticing. As it turns out, Timun Mas often noticed his sad mother, then he asked Mbok Srini, “Mother, why lately Mother has been crying so much?” Initially, Mbok Srini did not want to tell his son, but because Timun Mas urged him and continued to ask, Mbok Srini also told the original story of the birth of Timun Mas. Mbok Srini also recounted the part that he had to return Timun Mas to a giant and a few nights earlier the giant approached him back into a dream.

Before the monster came back, Mbok Srini thought about how to get his son freed. The next morning, Mbok Srini met a hermit on the mountain, a friend of her dead husband. Arriving there, Mbok Srini immediately told about his condition and he wanted to expel the giant. The hermit gave Mbok Srini four small packages. He said, these packages contain cucumber seeds, needles, salt, and terasi. The hermit told him to give these four parcels to his son and if the giant chased after him, spread the contents of these parcels.

After that, Mbok Srini went home with a little relief, at least he now has a plan. A few days later, this giant came back to pick up Timun Mas. Mbok Srini and Timun Mas stood side by side without fear. Cucumber Mas suddenly ran as fast as he could and the giant chased after him. After running far enough Timun Mas sprinkled the seeds given by his mother. What a miracle, the forest around him suddenly turned into a cucumber field. In an instant, the cucumber trunk crept and wrapped around the entire giant's body. However, the giant was able to break away and go back to chasing Timun Mas.

The Gold Cucumber immediately threw the package containing the needle. In an instant, the needles turned into many tall and pointed bamboo trees. However, the giant was able to pass through it and continue to chase Timun Mas, although bleeding because it was pierced by the bamboo.

Seeing his efforts have not succeeded, Timun Mas opened the third package containing salt and spread it. At that instant, the forest he had passed by suddenly turned into a vast and deep sea, but the giant still managed to pass through it easily. The Golden Cucumber was anxious, as his weapon was only one left. If the weapon does not succeed in disabling the giant, then the giant will be able to catch and eat it.

In the hope of a very large survivor, Timun Mas threw the last package containing the terrace. Instantly the place of the fall of the terrace suddenly turned into a sea of boiling mud. The giant was defeated

Because he was plunged into a sea of mud and he died very quickly.

Seeing that, Timun Mas immediately ran towards his house to meet his mother. Seeing his son survived, Mbok Srini immediately thanked God and since then, Mbok Srini and Timun Mas lived happily ever after.