A Balinese Folktale: Golden Cucumber
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 by Sidarta WijayaLong time ago there was a widow who had a only daughter called Ketimun Mas (Golden Cucumber). She was a young and cute girl of about ten years of age. They lived in the western-most part of the village, close to a forest, called Dauh Yeh. There was a few neighbors who live nearby. Most of them were peasant and traders; and some raised cattle.
One day Golden Cucumber’s mother went to the market to buy food stuff as there was nothing left in the house. Before leaving she said to her daughter, “My dear Golden Cucumber, Mother will go to the market and you stay at home. Mother will buy you pancakes. Please don’t go out, stay inside in the house and lock the door. When someone come don’t open the door, except when Mother come back.”
Golden Cucumber was home alone locking herself inside the house. Suddenly a giant approached the house and called out her name in a heavy and scaring voice. “Golden Cucumber, my dear, Mama has returned home. Please open the door.” The giant spoke imitating her mother is voice. Golden Cucumber was suspicious and she knew that it was not her mother’s voice. Therefore she did not open the door. The giant waited for a long time for the door to open, and since she thought nobody was home she left.
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