In this quaint village, there lived an old woman whose heart ached with a longing for a child. Every day, she watched the village children play, their laughter echoing in the air. "Oh, how I wish for a child of my own to love and cherish," she would sigh wistfully. Her days were filled with dreams of a family.
One day, as the old woman tended to her garden, a giant named Buto Ijo approached her. "I hear your wish, dear woman. Take this magical golden cucumber seed. In time, it will grant you the child you desire," he said, his voice booming yet kind. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she accepted the gift, promising to nurture it with care.
The old woman planted the seed in her garden, watering it with love and hope. To her astonishment, the cucumber grew swiftly, and from it came a beautiful baby girl. "I shall name you Timun Mas," she declared, her heart brimming with joy. Timun Mas became the light of her life, filling her home with laughter and warmth.
Years passed, and Timun Mas blossomed into a brave and clever teenager. However, the old woman could not forget the giant's words. The day would come when he would return to claim his reward. Fearing for her daughter's safety, she prepared magical items: cucumber seeds, needles, salt, and shrimp paste, hoping they would protect Timun Mas.
As the fateful day arrived, Buto Ijo came to collect his prize. Timun Mas, armed with her mother's gifts, fled into the dense forest. The giant thundered after her, but she was quick and resourceful. "I must not let him catch me," she whispered to herself, her resolve unyielding.
Timun Mas tossed the cucumber seeds behind her, and a vast field sprouted, slowing the giant. Next, she scattered the needles, creating a thicket of thorny bushes that pricked and poked. Undeterred, she hurled the salt, summoning a deep, shimmering sea that the giant struggled to cross. Finally, with the shrimp paste, a swamp of boiling mud bubbled up, trapping him in its depths. Timun Mas had triumphed!
Timun Mas returned to her mother, her eyes shining with victory and relief. The old woman embraced her tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face. "I knew you would be brave and clever, my dear Timun Mas," she whispered. Together, they lived happily ever after, the bond of love between them stronger than ever, free from fear and filled with wonder.
