Tudung periuk -a Short and Sweet Chapter in a Horror Movie

"Tudung Periuk", literally "lid of pot" is a traditional Malay song. Let me narrate to you how this song was featured in P.Ramlee's award-winning horror movie " Sumpah Orang Minyak". Of course, we are talking about 'horror' by the tame standard of 1958 the year the movie was released.

The movie's main character was a hunchback whose name was Si Bongkok. He lived in a village called Tualang Tiga back in 1901. People ridiculed and ostracized Si Bongkok because of his deformity. Si Bongkok was secretly in love with the village headman's daughter Afida. He tried to express his feelings by giving her a drawing, but Buyong the bully chased Si Bongkok out of the village.

Elves appeared to Si Bongkok and bestowed him good looks on conditon that he must never kill. In fact, Si Bongkok became so handsome that even the elf princess was in love with him! Eventually, Si Bongkok returned to Tualang Tiga only to learn that Afida was already engaged to Buyong.

As the bad news broke Si Bongkok's heart, there was a muscial feast in the village where women sang about a dancing pot lid. Si Bongkok chimed in and asked for rags to dry his tears...

Hai tudung periuk

Hey lid of the pot

Tudunglah periuk hai, pandai menari

Lid of the pot dances well

Tarianlah anak

Dance of the son

Hai tarianlah anak hai putera mahkota

Hey dance of the son of the crown prince

Kainlah yang buruk

The rag

Kainlah yang buruk hai berilah kami

The rag give it to us

Buat menyapu

To wipe

Buat menyapu si air mata

To wipe the tears

Yes, P.Ramlee fitted this simple traditional song nicely into the emotions of Si Bongkok played by he himself. The background female singer was Saloma who later became P.Ramlee's third wife.

Epilogue: Afterwards Si Bongkok was caught in a situation in which he had to kill Buyong in a fight. As a result of breaking his vow to the elves, Si Bongkok became invisible. The devil then appeared to Si Bonkok offering to restore him. The price demanded of Si Bongkok was to worship the devil and to rape 21 virgins in 7 days. ( Horror stories had to turn very ugly, somehow). From the moment Si Bongkok agreed to the deal, he transformed into the yucky slippery oil man " Orang Minyak" - the villain!

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