Timun Mas and the Giant

Long ago, a lonely widow named Mbok Srini prayed for a child. A green giant named Buto Ijo heard her and gave her a magical cucumber seed, promising her a child on one condition: when the girl turned seventeen, she must be returned to him to be eaten. From the resulting golden cucumber, a beautiful girl named Timun Mas was born. The widow loved her dearly, and as the girl's seventeenth birthday approached, Mbok Srini visited a powerful hermit for help. He gave her four small pouches containing cucumber seeds, needles, salt, and shrimp paste. When Buto Ijo arrived to claim his prize, Timun Mas fled. She threw the cucumber seeds, which turned into a vine-choked field to slow the giant. When he broke free, she threw the needles, creating a dense bamboo forest. Next, she threw the salt, which became a vast, deep sea. Finally, she threw the shrimp paste, which transformed the earth into a boiling mud swamp. The giant was trapped in the thick mire and drowned, allowing Timun Mas and her mother to live in peace forever.

“Courage is the only weapon that grows sharper as the danger draws near.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the moral of Timun Mas and the Giant?

The story teaches that bravery and resourcefulness allow the small to overcome the mighty. It emphasizes that there is always a way out of difficult situations if one stays calm and uses their wits.

What does the name Timun Mas mean?

In Javanese, 'Timun Mas' translates to 'Golden Cucumber.' She was given this name because she was found inside a giant golden cucumber fruit grown from a magical seed.

What four items did Timun Mas use to escape?

She used cucumber seeds, needles, salt, and shrimp paste. These items magically transformed into a field, a bamboo forest, a sea, and a mud swamp respectively to stop the giant.

Who is the antagonist in the story of Timun Mas?

The antagonist is Buto Ijo, a powerful and hungry green giant. He made a deal with an old woman to provide a child in exchange for eating her seventeen years later.

Where does the story of Timun Mas originate?

This legend originates from Central Java, Indonesia. It is one of the most famous pieces of Indonesian folklore and has been passed down through generations of oral storytelling.

How did the giant Buto Ijo die?

The giant met his end after Timun Mas threw the final pouch of shrimp paste. It turned the ground into a boiling volcanic mud swamp that trapped and eventually drowned him.