“TIMUN EMAS”

Long time ago, lived an old woman named Mbok Sirni. She lived by herself because her husband had long passed away and she had no children. Every day, she prayed, so God would give her a child.

One night, when she was praying, a giant with supernatural powers called Buto Ijo, passed her house and he heard her praying.

“Oh God… I really really want a child. Please… let me have one” hoped Mbok Sirni,

“HAHAHA… I can give you one!!”

Mbok Sirni was very shock for hear that sound. It was loud, rough, and scary. She went out the house and got a big, giant in front of her.

“Wh…who are you?” asked Mbok Sirni,

“HAHAHA. I can give you a child, hey old woman. Don’t you want?” replied the giant,

“A child? I really want to have a child…”

“If you bring that child back to me when she is 17 years old, I can give you a child now. HAHAHA”

Mbok Sirni was very happy. She didn’t think about the risk of losing her child later, and she accepted the giant’s offer immediately. Then, the giant gave her a bunch of cucumber seeds.

“Plant it in front of your house!”

Then, the giant left without saying anything else.

In the morning, Mbok Sirni planted the seeds. The seeds grew within mere days and blossomed plentifully. No longer after that, a big golden cucumber grew from the plants.

“Wow! Maybe this big golden cucumber is from that giant?!”

Carefully, Mbok Sirni plucked it and carried it home. At home, she sliced the cucumber with care and caution. Suddenly Mbok Sirni was very shocked, because she saw a beautiful baby girl inside the golden cucumber.

“Oh God…look at her, she is very beautiful!”

Then, she named the baby Timun Emas.

Years passed by and Timun Emas has grew into a lovely and beautiful little girl. She was also very kind and smart. Mbok Sirni loved her very much. But, she kept thinking about the promise to Buto Ijo the giant. So, in the order to save Timun Emas, Mbok Sirni had to meet the holy man who lived in Mount Gundul. In the next morning, Mbok Sirni took leave of Timun Emas to go to Mount Gundul. There, she met the holy man. Then, the holy man gave her four little bags, each one containing cucumber seeds, needles, salt and shrimp paste.

“Take these bags; Timun Emas can use this to protect herself from the giant” said the holy man to Mbok Sirni,

Timun Emas’ 17^th birthday has come; Buto Ijo came to see Mbok Sirni about the promise.

“Mbok Sirni, where are you? And where is Timun Emas?” shouted the giant,

Mbok Sirni was shocked hearing Buto Ijo’s voice, and then she got panicked.

“Oh no… Timun Emas, save your live. Take these bags with you; it can save you from the giant. Now, run through the back door!” said Mbok Sirni,

“Ahmm… what do you mean, mom?” replied Timun Emas,

“Emm, I’ll explain it later, but now run for your live!”

Then, Timun Emas ran. But, Buto Ijo saw her running to the woods. He was very angry. He chased Timun Emas immediately. Mbok Sirni tried to stop him, but he was unstoppable.

Buto Ijo was getting closer and closer.

“Oh my… what should I do? Aha! The bags…!” said Timun Emas,

So, Timun Emas had to use the first bag she got from Mbok Sirni.

“Hey, what’s this? Oh, cucumber seeds!”

Then, she threw the seeds. Instantly, the seeds grew into cucumber field. But Buto Ijo, the giant, he ate all the cucumbers. The cucumbers gave him more strength.

“Oh no...he is getting stronger! And now, he is closer to me…!”

As he was getting close, Timun Emas then reached the second bag with needles inside. She spilled the needles to the giant. The needles suddenly transformed into bamboo trees with sharp thorns. Buto Ijo was scratched and bled.

“Arrrghh!! I’ll get you Timun Emas, just wait for me” shouted the giant as he tried to get out from the bamboo trees,

He managed to get out from the trees, and continued to chase Timun Emas.

“HUH! Where are you Timun Emas??!!”

Buto Ijo was still behind, and Timun Emas has to reach the third bag filled by salt. So, Timun Emas spilled the salt and also the bag. The ground which touched by salt changed into deep sea. Buto Ijo had to swim across the sea. He almost drowned, but he still managed to swim across the sea.

“Cucumber field? Bamboo trees? Deep sea? I could pass them, what else you have, huh?!”

After that, Buto Ijo was very close behind, made Timun Emas had to reach the last bag, the only option. After she opened the bag, she saw shrimp paste.

“Oh, please! I bet on this thing”,

After she threw the shrimp paste, it changed into big swamp with hot boiling mud. The giant trapped in the middle of the swamp.

He screamed “HELP…Help me! I couldn’t……”,

Buto Ijo was drowned and died. Timun Emas looked and found that Buto Ijo was not behind her anymore.

“Thank goodness! I could survive from that thing…”

She was very happy and then she went home immediately because she wanted to meet her beloved mother, Mbok Sirni. From then on, Timun Emas and Mbok Sirni lived happily together ever after.

Moral Value :

 We have to be ready to face the challenge in front of us.

Posted in: Narrative text