Golden Cucumber

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.

Some moments afterwards Cucumber’s mother returned home and asked her to open the door. As Cucumber knew it was her mother’s voice she opened the door. She told her mother what had just happened. “I was really frightened, Mother,” she said. Her Mother tried to hide her fright by giving her daughter the pancakes she had promised. Then she asked: “do you know who called you?” She told her that it was the giant. Her mother then reminded her to be always inside the house locked when she was away. The giant intended to kidnap her. Golden Cucumber promised her mother to do so.

The giant came again when Cucumber’s mother went to the market. But before she arrived there the giant saw a young man who was herding his ducks. She approached him, and he was shocked when he saw she was coming near him. The giant asked him to accompany him to Cucumber’s house. He refused it, but when the giant threatened him he agreed to go.

To cut the story short, they found nobody at home. The young man was asked to call Cucumber by imitating her mother’s voice. As this time the voice seemed to be different one, Cucumber was not suspicious. As soon as she opened the door, the giant embraced him and took her away. She cried and shouted for help, but nobody heard her.

When Cucumber’s mother returned home, she found nobody home. She looked for Cucumber everywhere but it was useless. She called his name but nobody answered. She was sure that Cucumber had been kidnapped by the giant. “How can I get Cucumber back?” she thought. While she was wondering there were a cat and a rat approaching her. She then spoke to the animals: “Cat and Rat, could you help me to find my dear daughter, Cucumber? If you are successful I will give you a basket of dried fish and a sack of rice as the rewards.” Both were willing to help her, and they immediately went to the giant’s house. Cucumber was kept in a big wooden box guarded by the Blind and the Deaf. The giant herself was busy preparing the spices for cooking in the kitchen.

Knowing that Cucumber was inside the box Rat then made a hole and Cat sat at the top of the box. The noise made by the Rat was heard by the blind guard. He then said: “What noise is it over there?” The cat then mewed; and he mewed all the time. The deaf guard then said there was a cat at the top of the box. The blind guard then ordered him to scare the cat away but he was deaf he did not hear the order.

Now the hole was big enough for Cucumber to escape. Escorted by Rat and Cat, Cucumber hurriedly ran home. Her mother was anxious for her return, and when she saw Cucumber running followed by Cat and Rat she was relieved. As promised earlier by Cucumber’s mother, the two animals received their rewards, everyone was happy.

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Manik Angkeran

A long time ago, lived a very rich family in Bali. The father was Sidi Mantra. He was very famous for his supernatural power. He lived happily with his wife and his only child Manik Angkeran. Manik Angkeran was a spoiled son. He also had a bad habit. He liked to gamble. Because of his bad habit, his parents soon became poor. They always advised Manik Angkeran to stop his bad habit, but he never listened to them. Instead he kept on begging to his parents to give him a lot of money. The parents then did not have the heart to see him begging. Sidi Mantra then went to Agung Mountain. There lived a mighty dragon with his great supernatural power. He could provide jewelries to those who could say the right prayers and ring the bell. Sidi Mantra had the bell and he also knew the prayers. "My name is Sidi Mantra. I have a problem. My son likes to gamble. He made me poor. And now he asks a lot of money. I want to give him some, but now I want him to promise to stop his bad behavior," explained Sidi Mantra after he met the dragon. Sidi Mantra then said the prayers and rang the bell. Suddenly, jewelries came out from the dragon's body. He was very happy and immediately brought the jewelries home. This time Sidi Mantra wanted Manik Angkeran really to stop gambling. The son then promised. But soon he broke the promise and he did not have some money again. He heard that his father got the jewelries from the dragon living in Agung Mountain. So he stole his father's bell then went there. After arrived in Agung Mountain, Manik Angkeran rang the bell. The dragon knew him. "I will give you anything you want but you have to promise to stop gambling. Remember the karma!" then the dragon gave him the jewelries. Manik Angkeran was very happy. Suddenly he had a bad idea. He wanted to kill the dragon and stole all his jewelries. The dragon knew his plan and with his great power he killed Manik Angkeran. Sidi Mantra was very sad. He asked the dragon to bring his son back to life. The dragon agreed but they had to live in different places. After few moments, Manik Angkeran lived again. Then Sidi Mantra used a stick to make a big line between them on the ground. From the line, water flowed. Soon it became a river. Finally it became a strait. It separated Java and Bali. People then named the strait as Bali Strait. ***

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Kebo Iwa

ONCE upon a time in Bali, a man and his wife were praying. They have been married for a long time but did not have any children. They asked God to give them a child. They prayed and prayed. God finally answered their pray. The wife, then, got pregnant and they had a baby boy. They were very happy.

The baby was extraordinary. He was very much different from other babies. He ate and drank a lot. Day after day he ate more and more. His body was getting bigger and bigger. And by the time he was a teenager, his body was as big as a buffalo. People then started to call him Kebo Iwa.

Because of his eating habit, Kebo Iwa’s parents spent a lot of money to buy his food in large amount. They finally went bankrupt. They gave up and asked the villagers to help them provide the food.

The villagers then worked together to cook and build a big house for Kebo Iwa. He was like a giant. He could not stay in his parents’ house anymore because of his big body. Sadly, after a few months, the villagers also could not afford to cook him the food. They then asked Kebo Iwa to cook his own food. The villagers just prepared the raw materials.

Kebo Iwa agreed and as an expression of his gratitude to the villagers, he built a dam, dug wells, and he also protected the villagers from animals and people who wanted to attack their village. He did those things by himself.

Meanwhile, the troops of Majapahit were planning to attack Bali. They knew about Kebo Iwa. And they also knew that they could not conquer Bali with Kebo Iwa there. Kebo Iwa was more powerful than they were.
Gajah Mada, the Maha Patih (Chief Minister) of Majapahit then planned something. They were pretending to invite Kebo Iwa to Majapahit to help them dig some wells. They said that Majapahit was suffering from a long dry season and needed much water. Kebo Iwa did not know the plan, so he went to Majapahit.

When Kebo Iwa was busy digging a very big well, the troops covered the well. Kebo Iwa had difficulty in breathing and buried alive. He died inside the well.

After the death of Kebo Iwa, Bali was conquered by Majapahit. Until now, people still remember Kebo Iwa because he had done a lot for Majapahit and Bali. The stone head of legendary Kebo Iwa can be

found in Pura Gaduh temple in Blahbatuh. ***

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A Loyal Farmer

A long time ago, there was a small village in Bali. The villagers were farmers they were very happy. Gods gave them fertile land. They always had great harvest. There were no poor family in that village.

One day, a young man came to the village. He came from a very far place. He went to the richest farmer in the village. The richest farmer's name was Jero Pasek.

"My name is I Tundung. I came here to work, Sir. I promise I will work hard."

"Hmm...Okay, I will let you work in my rice field. But remember, I will ask you to leave if you are lazy." said Jero Pasek.

I Tudung was very happy. He did not want to disappoint Jero pasek, his master. He worked diligently. Jero Pasek was very grateful. The harvest was much better. Besides cultivating, I Tundung also look care of the animals, such as chickens, ducks, goats and cows. The number of the animals also increased. Jero Pasek become richer.

Jero pasek planned to ask I Tundung to cultivate his field in Kangin Hill.

Unlike the land in the village, the land in Kangin Hill was not fertile.

However, I Tundung accepted it very happy. He felt that Jero Pasek had already trusted him. He wanted to repay his trust by giving him great harvest.

The land in the hill was arid. It was very dry. However, I Tundung was never gave up. There was a small spring. I Tundung made irrigation. He used the water in the spring and flew it through the irrigation.
It worked! The land was not dry anymore. The plants grew very well. And again they had great harvest.

Now the whole hills are green, thanks to I Tundung.

Unfortunately, their happiness did not last long. A thief stole the harvest and the animals.

Sadly, I Tundung was never able to catch the thief. The harvest and the animals kept on missing, Jero Pasek was angry.

"I'm very disappointed in you. I have lost a lot of harvest and animals!"

I Tundung was sad. He went to a temple to pray. While he was meditating, he heard a voice.

"I know your promlem and I can help you."

"Thank you. I'm willing to do anything as long as I can protect my master's harvest and animals." said I Tundung.

"I will change you into a big black snake. You will live in the hill and you can protect the harvest and the animals." I Tundung agreed. he did not want to make his master disappointed and angry at him. Slowly, he changed into a big black snake.

Meanwhile, Joko Pasek was looking for I Tundung. And when he arrived at his field, he saw abig black snake. He was so surprised when the snake was able to talk!

"Don't be afraid, Sir. It's me, I Tundung. From now on, I will always protect your harvest and your animals."

Jero Pasek was very sad. He never meant to ask I Tundung to do anything.

But it was to late.***

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