Song: My own home
From: Jungle Book
"My turn, my turn!" A little cousin, Susan, bounced up and down. "Please, pleeeease!"
The adults chuckled. "You can go Susan; do you have a story for us?" Mr. Bennett asked.
Susan nodded. "The water song, the one great grandpa tells. You don't mind, do you great grandpa?"
"No dear, that is why we tell the stories. Since our family started the tradition, years and years ago, we've passed them down so they and our family members can live on with us. Do you have it memorized or would you like help?" Great grandpa Bennett smiled as if he already knew her answer.
"I've been practicing." Susan said with confidence. "I want to try myself."
"Then it's all yours Susan."
"Yay! I'm going to tell a story!" She yelled so everyone in the house new to come watch. When she was sure everyone was paying attention she curtsied and began.
(Start song here)
Jack, who had been lounging with the kids, set up eyes wide. "That song… Could it… Could it be?" The living room scene seemed to melt away. He was walking through progress woods, back when it was much thicker, with a little girl sporting long brunette hair. She carried a bucket in her hands, which she swung to the rhythm of her own humming.
It was, Jack could barely believe. That song was one his mother saying often and his sister had taken it up, especially when she began being sent to their water well. But how did this generation, even with all the different ages, no white. The song itself had stopped being sung soon after indoor plumbing became. Sure Africa may still have wells and such, but the song had died. Get here Susan was singing it in perfect accuracy and clarity.
The song usually ended after one verse and as Susan hummed Jack felt tears come to his eyes. But she didn't seem to be done, after her humming she started from the beginning. Jack found himself quietly singing along.
As Jack waited for the next first he returned to his relaxed position. Great grandpa Bennett had said this story was passed down from generation to generation. The song wasn't just sung in his family, it was so popular back in his village you couldn't go one day without hearing it at least hummed. He just revels in the memories it brought as Susan continued singing, him right along with her.
Jack could see his mother, in the kitchen, as he and his sister returned. Emma singing her heart out as she would walks down the path, under the weight of a full water bucket.
Opening his eyes Jack was back in the Bennett living room. Wiping his happy reminiscent tears away Jack clapped for Susan. No one seemed to notice the tears or that he he'd sang/hummed along as they applauded and congratulated the little Bennett. The girl curtsied deeply and her whole face seemed to be made of a smile. She soaked up the praise for all that was worth.
All the while Mrs. Bennett was staring at Jack!