The Happy Hunting Ground

I really don't know how I know this song but I do: Running Bear by somebody called Johnny Preston. Anyway, I was singing it for Aaron this evening while he was having his bath. Here are a few lines from the song to set the scene for today's post.

On the bank of the river
Stood Running Bear
Young Indian brave
On the other side of the river
Stood his lovely Indian maid
...
...
But their tribes fought with each other
So their love could never be
...
...
Running Bear dove in the water
Little White Dove did the same
...
...
Now they'll always be together
In their happy hunting ground

Aaron kept asking. "What it means?" I still can't get him to say "What does it mean?"

So I explained it as simply as I could. He seemed to get it. Then I told him that the "happy hunting ground" was heaven. Here's what I recall from the conversation. All my giggling at the time may have interfered with my memories here!

Aaron: "What it means? Heaven."

Amanda: "Heaven is a really nice place. You can do anything you want there."

He then pauses for awhile before he says "Lets go there next week!"
I wonder why he wanted to wait a whole week.

Amanda: "No, we don't want to go there yet"

Aaron: "I want"

Amanda: "No, only dead people go there."

Aaron: "And then they are not dead."

Amanda: "Yes. Then they are alive again. But we don't want to go there yet. Usually, only old people go to heaven." Yes, a bit of a lie but I didn't have time to think my answers through!

Aaron, after thinking a long while: "Like Mimi....and Ah Or". Thats what he calls my mom and dad.

Amanda: "No, we don't want them to go there yet either."

I felt like mentioning really old people, like my 90yr old grandparents, but I don't want them going to the "happy hunting ground" any time soon either!