English has Romeo and Juliet to be proud of as a spectacular literary work. Chinese has Sampik Ing-Tai that shows world community that they also have a great romantic story. And Balinese answer for a romantic story is none other than Jayaprana and Layonsari.

Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a family consisted parents and their 4 children. They lived in Kalianget village, North Bali. One day deadly disaster attacked the village. The members of that family dead except the third younger child, named Jayaprana.

He became a motherless and fatherless child. Nonetheless, the King took him to the palace and let him lived at there. Year after year he grew to be a handsome young man. The king forced him to get married soon. One or two force did not change Jayaprana’s mind to realize the king desire. But, after the King forced him so many times he could not avoid it again.

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Long 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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