Indonesian Folklore (Folklor Indonesia): Tales from Nusantara (Archipelago): Timun Mas (The Golden Cucumber)

Timun Mas: The Golden Girl Who Outsmarted the Giant

A tale of courage, cleverness, and the magic of never giving up.

Timun Mas >> Edisi bahasa Indonesia

Timun Mas (Rhyming Story)

The Golden Cucumber Illustrated Edition

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Folklore from Central Java

Once upon a time, there lived a humle husband and wife in a small hut near the edge of a vast jungle. They were farmers—hardworking and patient—tending to the rice paddies with love and care. Each sunrise saw them in the fields, and each sunset found them resting side by side, hands calloused but hearts hopeful.

Though their days were rich with the rhythms of the earth, one thing was missing from their lives: a child. Year after year passed, yet the sound of laughter never filled their home. Still, they never gave up hope. Every day, they prayed beneath the stars, their voices soft but steady:

“Please, grant us a child to love… even just one.”

One quiet night, as the couple knelt in prayer, a tremor shook the ground. From the shadows of the jungle emerged a towering figure—a giant, his eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. Though fear gripped the couple’s hearts, they stayed rooted to the ground, still clasping each other’s hands.

The giant spoke, his voice deep and echoing like distant thunder.

“Farmers, I have heard your longing,” he rumbled.
“I can grant you what you wish—a daughter. But in return, when she turns seventeen, you must give her back to me.”

The husband and wife were stunned. But in their longing, their hearts overflowed with gratitude more than caution. The thought of holding a child—of hearing tiny footsteps and giggles in their home—blinded them to the price they might one day pay.

Tears of joy fell as they bowed and accepted the offer.
The giant, seeing their decision, handed them a small bundle wrapped in banana leaves. Inside were golden cucumber seeds, glimmering softly as if touched by starlight.

“Plant these with care,” the giant instructed. “Your wish will grow from the earth itself.”

And so, the next morning, they tilled a special plot of land behind their hut and gently pressed the seeds into the soil. They watered the ground with prayers and tended it with devotion.

Seasons passed like petals in the wind, and the golden cucumber continued to grow, swelling larger with each new moon. One morning, bathed in the soft glow of dawn, the farmers approached the vine and gasped. There, nestled among the leaves, was a magnificent cucumber—round, golden, and warm to the touch, as though it carried the sun within.

With hearts pounding, they gently cut it from the vine and brought it into their home. As the blade sliced through the thick rind, they were met not with seeds—but with wonder.

Inside lay a beautiful baby girl, wrapped in soft curls of golden cucumber flesh, her tiny fingers curled like tendrils of a sprouting vine. Her eyes shimmered like morning dew. Overwhelmed with love, the farmers embraced her and whispered her name:

"Timun Mas—our Golden Cucumber."

From that day on, laughter filled their home. Timun Mas grew up strong, curious, and kind. She danced in the rice fields, chased butterflies beneath the banyan trees, and helped her parents with every harvest. Villagers would often say her smile could bring blossoms to a withered plant.

But time, like the river, never stops flowing.

On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Timun Mas sang as she prepared flower offerings, unaware of the dark promise her parents had once made. She wore a garland of frangipani in her hair, her spirit light and joyful.

Her parents, however, were heavy with sorrow. Each candle they lit that morning was dimmed by dread. As the sun rose, they stood before her with trembling hands.

“My daughter,” said her father, placing a woven pouch in her hands, “take this bag. Inside are sacred gifts. If danger comes, throw each item behind you. They will protect you.”

Timun Mas tilted her head, confused. “What kind of danger? What’s happening, Father?”

Before he could answer, the ground shook. The air grew thick. Birds scattered into the sky.

A shadow fell across their doorstep.

The giant had returned.

With a voice that echoed like cracking earth, he called out, “Timun Mas! It is time. Give me what is mine.”

Her mother’s eyes filled with tears. She gripped Timun Mas’s shoulders, whispering with urgency.

“Run, Timun Mas. Run as fast as you can. Save your life!”

With her heart pounding like thunder, Timun Mas clutched the pouch and fled—into the jungle, into the unknown, into her fate.

The giant roared in rage, his footsteps shaking the earth. Trees trembled, birds fled, and even the wind seemed to whisper warnings. His eyes burned with fury as he realized the farmers had broken their promise.

“You dare defy me?” he bellowed, crashing through the forest in pursuit.

Timun Mas ran as fast as her legs could carry her, her breath sharp, her heart pounding like a gamelan drum. But the giant was powerful, and with every thunderous step, he drew closer—closer—closer still.

Suddenly, she remembered the pouch.

With trembling hands, she reached inside and pulled out the first item: a handful of salt. She flung it behind her with all her strength.

The air shimmered, and the ground shook. In moments, the dry forest floor transformed into a vast, swirling sea. Waves crashed and rolled, blocking the giant's path. He howled in frustration, then dove into the water, flailing his massive arms as he swam across. It slowed him, but it didn’t stop him.

Timun Mas ran on.

When the giant emerged, soaked and seething, she reached into the pouch again and tossed the second item: fiery red chili peppers.

A blaze of light erupted behind her, and in its place rose a thick, wild jungle of thorny trees and vines, their branches like claws. The giant pushed through, but the thorns ripped at his skin, leaving angry red welts. Still, he pressed forward, rage fueling his steps.

Timun Mas didn’t stop. She dove into the deeper jungle, lungs burning.

Next, she hurled the third gift: cucumber seeds.

The ground split open, and from it grew a vast field of lush cucumber vines, twisting and tangling like a living net. The giant stumbled through it, slipping and falling, but he managed to break free—though now slower, and more tired.

Panting, Timun Mas felt the last item in the pouch: shrimp paste—terasi, sticky and pungent.

With one final cry, she hurled it behind her.

The earth rumbled, and from it rose a vast, bubbling swamp, dark and deep, filled with mud that pulled like quicksand. The giant stepped into it—and immediately sank up to his knees. He struggled, roared, thrashed. But the more he fought, the deeper he sank. The stench of the swamp filled the air. His strength ebbed away.

“No!” he screamed as the muck pulled him under.

With a final, gurgling cry, the giant disappeared beneath the surface. The swamp grew still.

Timun Mas collapsed to her knees, trembling—but alive.

She took a deep breath, the jungle now quiet. The danger had passed.

With the golden sun rising behind her, she made her way home. When her parents saw her running toward them, whole and unharmed, tears streamed down their faces. They ran to her, embracing her with trembling arms.

“Timun Mas, you’re safe! You’re safe!”

And so, the family was reunited, their hearts overflowing with love and gratitude. They returned to their fields, living simply and happily once more.

From that day on, villagers often told the tale of the brave girl born from a golden cucumber, who defeated a giant with wisdom, courage, and the gifts of the earth.

And whenever a cucumber bloomed in their gardens, they would smile and whisper,

“May we all be as brave as Timun Mas.” 🌱✨🌾

Timun Mas Dessert

🌿 Moral Message: Bravery, Resourcefulness, and Inner Strength

The story of Timun Mas teaches us that true courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to act in the face of it. Timun Mas showed resilience and cleverness when she stood against overwhelming odds. With heart, wisdom, and the help of nature’s gifts, she turned obstacles into opportunities for escape.

This tale reminds us that even in the darkest moments, we can triumph through determination, quick thinking, and belief in ourselves. No matter how big the challenge, every step forward—guided by courage and calm—can lead us to safety, freedom, and hope.

Did you know?

Buto Ijo Dessert

Buto is the Javanese word for giant. Buto Ijo is the well-known Javan Giant. However, there are many different types of giants, including Buto Buto Cakil, Buto Jathilan, Buto Terong (eggplant), and Buto Rambut Geni.

Indeed, Buto Ijo is the most well-known. Buto Buto Ijo appeared in folklore from Central Java, Timun Mas. Buto Ijo has a lot in common with green-skinned Ogres, and it's a kind of wild genie.

Terasi (shrimp paste), or shrimp sauce, is a common ingredient used in Indonesia. It is made from fermented ground shrimp or krill mixed with salt. (wiki)