La la li la tak tam pong

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It happened weeks ago.

Yup, I'm constantly late when it comes to blogging but hey, better late than never right? Right!

This is officially the very first entry that involves everybody. Well, almost.

It all started when Ms Anai softly mumbled to herself a little children's folk rhyme. If you're from Penang or “lu si Hokkien lang”, you've probably chant this while you were young as well.



Ms Anai: La la li la tak tam pong, ah pek bei apong. Apong lit lok hai, ah pek chiak gao sai. ^^;;

Me: Eh? That’s different!

Cik Datang: Itu version saya jugak. You version apa?

Me: La la li la tak tam pong, ah pek bei apong. Apong bei beh liao, ah pek chiak ga liao.

Ms Anai & Cik Datang: Hahahaha…

Me: Well, having ah pek eating dog shit is so inappropriate. Since he can't sell them all, he have to eat them all. Make sense right? As far as I know, my dad’s version is way longer.


That evening…


Me: Pa, remember La la li la tak tam pong?

Pa: Ya. What about it?

Me: What comes after that? I remember it’s quite long, no?

Pa: La la li la tak tam pong, ah pek bei apong. Apong boh laku, ah pek bei huan zhu.

Me: Eh?????? Apong tak laku jadi ah pek jual ubi????


The next day…


Me: I asked my dad yesterday….

Ms Anai & Cik Datang: Ah. So? Jadi?

Me: Well… it’s totally different from yours and mine. ^^;; *and so I went on and told them my dad’s version*

Ms Anai & Cik Datang: Ehh???

Me: Maybe it’s the age thing. Different era different version. Maybe we should asked Mr Cool. His might be the same as my dad's!


So went Mr Cool stepped in much later…


Me: Mr Cool! What’s the continuation for the La la li tak tam pong rhyme?


Everyone waits in anticipation.


Mr Cool all too coolly replied: Tapung jit! Tapung nor! Tapung sar!

Everyone: Ehhhhh?? Jit nor sar??


And at that moment Yen-san came in.


Me: Hey hey! What’s your version. Theirs *points to Ms Anai & Cik Datang* is ……. Mine is …… and Mr Cool.. well, let’s not mention his.

Yen-san: I heard yours before though.

Me: Yatta! It’s indeed the age thingy!


And in came Encik Chi.


Me: You’re from our era. What’s your version?

Encik Chi all confused and replied: La la li la tak tam pong, ah pek bei apong. Apong lit lok hai, ah pek chiak gao sai.

Cik Datang: You bukan dari era mereka ke? *points to me and Ms Swallow*

Everyone: Hahaha.. must be an old man trapped in a young man’s body.


And so the debate went to the other side.


Me: What’s your version?

Cik Lebah: Aku punya macam Cik Datang. Tapi comel sikit. Dulu kita nyanyi begini. La ta la li tam pong…

Everyone: Ooooo…..


But the award finally goes to Ms Ipoh.


Ms Ipoh: I don’t know what your continuation means. At Ipoh we only say “La la li la tak tam pong….”


Everyone waits….

Few seconds gone by…..


Silence…


Everyone: What???!!! That’s all??

Ms Ipoh with her innocent looking face: Well.. ya.

I guess the rhyme doesn't work in Cantonese anyway. ^^;;

So...

La la li la tak tam pong…

So what’s your version?

=)