The Hanging Tree

Ok so this is based off of the Hanging Tree song in the Mockingjay (third book in the Hunger Games) I also have the song in this story. That song belongs to Suzanne Collins. :) I hope you like it. The song is about as close to how I imagined it being sung...I'm not sure about the design though. XD

________________________________________________________________________________

 I came home from work tired. It was late. 

 "Daddy! Daddy!" my little girl, Arabella, screamed running down the hallway to meet me. I picked her up spinning her around in my arms as she giggled.

 "Arabella." I said setting her down on the ground as my lovely wife came around the corner. 

 "Rick."  Julia, my wife, said lovingly as I pulled her into a one armed hugged kissing her gently. She kissed me back lightly before pulling away. 

 "It's time for bed." she told Arabella crouching down to heave her up. My daughter pouted. 

 "I don't wanna go to bed." she complained. I chuckled as she came over and hugged my leg. 

 "Arabella," I started picking her up, "you need to go to bed so when you wake up tomorrow you'll be able to play all day." I told her. Arabella giggled. 

 "Bed time story?" she asked me latching her arms around my neck so she didn't fall. As if I'd let my whole world fall.

 "Of course." I told her starting up the stairs to her room. Julia came up behind me. 

 "What kind of story do you want to hear?" I asked my 6 year old baby girl. She put on her thinking face. 

 "Uhh the one with the man and the tree!" she exclaimed. I laughed quietly. 

 "Arabella, I've told that one so many times." I opened the door quietly, Julia helping to keep it open.

 "But it's my favorite." she whined giving me her puppy dog eyes. I smiled.

 "Of course I'll tell it to you." I said setting her down on her pink bed. She curled up under the blankets as I sat on the edge of the bed. 

 "Mommy sing the song too." she said smiling. Julia sat down next to me. 

 "I'll sing it." she said warmly smiling. Arabella's face broke into a grin. 

 "Start daddy start!" she said picking up her teddy bear and holding it to her chest. I sighed as I recalled the story I'd told her so many times. 

 "Well long, long ago there was a man. He lived in a village. In this village the worst crime you can commit is murder. The second worst is stealing. If you stole something you were immediately sentenced to jail." I started.

 "This man had no home, no family, and no money. The only way he could survive was to steal food and live in an alley. 

 If you remember stealing was one of the worst crimes to commit." I said to my daughter. She didn't know all the words I was saying, but she did have the general idea of what it was. 

 "The man also had a lover." I continued. "He loved her very very much. He had to support her and himself." 

 "So one day this man goes into town. He was very hungry and so was his lover. He snuck up to the baker's stand, which had rolls, bread, pastries, and any kind of baked food there was." 

 Arabella smiled probably thinking of all the cinnamon rolls there were. I chuckled quietly as she looked at me. "Go on!" she commanded in her small voice. I nodded.