His tales remembered...
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… whose name, the Big Fool, has become a household wordBy Liew Soon Chin
The signature tune fades away and the storyteller comes on.
"I whirled round and came face to face with my sworn enemy. I knew this would be the final showdown. Silently, I adopted the dragon pose ..."
Holding his book in his left hand, he launches into the tenth chapter of the Ugly Musketeer. As he narrates, he gesticulates with his chubby but expressive fingers.
He expresses sorrow, brandishes an imaginary sword, mocks the puny strength of his toes and demonstrates the fire force of his palm.
Lee Dai Soh, or Big Fool as his name suggests comes alive during lunch and dinner hours on Rediffusion, telling tales of Chinese folklore, sword fighting heroes and ghosts.
His prime time on the air makes him, very much a part of family life. Little wonder he is a household word. Dai Soh, 65, has been a storyteller for 40 years.
"I'm happiest when I am telling stories. It is my hobby as well as my job," says the king of Cantonese storyteller, a perpetual smile spread across his lined face.
Born Lee Fook Hong, he changed his name to Dai Soh so that his listeners could remember it easily. It was copied from the name of a musician, Hor Dai Soh, who popularised the Cantonese ditty, Who says I am Stupid.
He was not always a storyteller. He started with the new defunct Chinese newspaper, Sin Chong Jit Poh, where he was first a typesetter and then a reporter. A short while later, he became a junior clerk working on the estate of the late Mr Lee Choon Guan, a prominent businessman and founder of the Straits Steamship Company.
In 1938, he had his first taste of storytelling when he joined Radio Malaya. This was curtailed when World War Two began.
The next stage was the most depressing part of this happy-go-lucky man's life.
"The Japanese came. I worked as a coolie in a soap factory. Hours were long; there was little to eat. But I managed to escape from the Japanese. I guess I was lucky.
After the occupation, he returned to his job with Radio Malaya. In 1949, he joined Rediffusion and has been with them ever since.
The stocky storyteller attributes his audience appeal to an ability to pick and adapt the right story. Preparation for each serial takes about two months.
"Storytelling is not difficult at all. Just make the story flow the plot thicken. Every day, cut your story at its most exciting moment. But all these will come with experience," the Big Fool advises nodding his head wisely.
Storytelling comes naturally to him; his is a talent neither inherited nor acquired.
His parents were not in this line at all. In turn, his son and daughter being English educated have never been his fans. Of his two grandsons, he says indulgently, "They prefer the TV."
He consoles himself with an avid fan in his wife. "Sometimes, he pesters me for the rest of the tale."
What do his listeners think of him?
Most are fascinated by his ability to make his characters come alive. Although he is the sole narrator, he can portray more than 10 personalities in a story by employing subtleties in tone and pitch.
For example, he may use a gravel voice to put forward the impression of a harsh magistrate and weeping sounds to signify a damsel in distress.
The Miser Millionaire in 1963A listener in Tiong Bahru commented: "You don’t realise it is not a female voice even when he is speaking female lines. You are simply carried away by the story."
On Kung Fu stories, Miss Priscilla Low, 25, a clerk says: "He speaks with authority as if he is a martial arts exponent himself."
And true enough, Dai Soh has had pugilistic training while studying in Yeung Ching School.
"Martial arts was one of our lessons in school. I always enjoyed those classes. In fact, I was drawn onto the stage by my teacher who noted that I was very active and talkative."
His forte was comedy acts where all you have to do is to act funnily.
Storytelling is not the only programme Dai Soh does. On Sundays, he and two other friends take part in discussions.
"Various topics are thrashed out. We may explain proverbs or sayings describe, how Chinese New Year was celebrated in China long ago or explain the significance of Ching Ming or the dumpling festival."
Here, his love for Chinese literature comes in handy.
Dai Soh unabashedly claims that he was barely an average student in school. He only excelled in Chinese literature and found mathematics and a headache.
He widens his eyes and chuckles: "I never tried being the top student."
"But I enjoyed taking part in debates, categorical contests and plays where at least I could win some trophies."
Lee Dai Soh is an avid reader, adding
one or two books to his library every weekHe has an impressive library of more that a thousand books neatly arranged on shelves in his Bukit Merah View flat. Being an avid reader, he adds one or two books to his collection every week.
Although he received film offers in his younger days, he rejected them because of the intense politicking behind the scenes.
"People have a certain impression of you from your voice. However, the more they see you, the faster they tire of you. I prefer to keep this sense of mystery," he added.
However, he has a wide interest in film shows enjoying productions such as The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, The Ten Commandments, James Bond and Charlie Chaplin pictures.
He adds proudly: "I saw three versions of Ben Hur including the silent movie."
He thinks Bruce Lee had a good fighting style and has followed his exploits keenly.
Understandably, he steers clear of tragic themes.
"Such shows are depressing. People pay to be entertained to have a good laugh. There is sufficient sorrow in this world for them to weep over."
Apart from Rediffusion, he records for the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) station here.
The programme technician of ABC, Mr Lee Kim Chwee, estimated about 1000 letters are received each month requesting particular stories from Dai Soh.
The programmes are broadcast to countries such as Malaysia, Hong Kong and Vietnam. His popularity has made him ABC's highest paid artiste in Singapore.
Rediffusion also receives numerous complaints whenever it postpones or cancels his programmes. Many listeners tune in only when he is on the air.
Despite the overwhelming enthusiasm over him, Dai Soh believes he is the last of his kind.
Unperturbed, the Big Fool eloquently spreads his bands and remarks: "Storytelling is a dying profession. My stories will probably die with me."
First published in New Nation, May 9, 1978
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Copyright © 1998 Singapore Press Holdings. All Rights Reserved.
