"Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf" is a German lullaby. The oldest surviving version is a text and melody fragment of the first stanza, which appears in 1611 as part of a quodlibet in Melchior Franck'sFasciculus quodlibeticus. The current melody of the lullaby was composed by Johann Friedrich Reichardt in 1781 after a folk tune and also used for "". The currently known text version was distributed by the third volume of the collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn. As a template for the first stanza was a Low German version of 's Holstein Idioticon, the other stanzas are added poetry of Clemens Brentano. Franz Magnus Böhme reprinted 36 text variants in 1897. Johannes Brahms set the text to his own music as No. 11 in his collection 15 Volkskinderlieder, WoO 31.
Melody
The melody by Johann Friedrich Reichardt is from 1781. \relative c'' \addlyrics
Text
Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, Der Vater hüt die Schaaf, Die Mutter schüttelts Bäumelein, Da fällt herab ein Träumelein, Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, Am Himmel ziehn die Schaaf, Die Sternlein sind die Lämmerlein, Der Mond der ist das Schäferlein, Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, Christkindlein hat ein Schaaf, Ist selbst das liebe Gotteslamm, Das um uns all zu Tode kam, Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf! Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, So schenk ich dir ein Schaaf Mit einer goldnen Schelle fein, Das soll dein Spielgeselle seyn, Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf! Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, Und blöck nicht wie ein Schaaf, Sonst kömmt des Schäfers Hündelein, Und beißt mein böses Kindelein, Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf. Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf, Geh fort und hüt die Schaaf, Geh fort du schwarzes Hündelein, Und weck mir nicht mein Kindelein, Schlaf, Kindlein, schlaf. Sleep my child, sleep Your father tends the sheep, Your mother shakes the apple tree, As falls down a dream for thee Sleep my child, sleep Sleep, my child, sleep In the sky there drag the sheep The sheperd, he is like the moon In the sky with lambs bestrewn Sleep my child, sleep Sleep my child, sleep Christ child has a sheep, Your beloved mother shears the ram to make fine clothes for madame Sleep, my child, sleep Sleep, my child, sleep then i will give you a lamb with the finest golden clamp which will be your playmate then Sleep, my child, sleep Sleep, my child sleep Don't bleat like a sheep or else there'll come the sheperd's dog appals my lilttle child so bad Sleep, my child, sleep Sleep, my child, sleep Go away and tend the sheep Go away you black dog, so mad and leave alone my little brat Sleep, my child, sleep Sleep, my child, sleep out there walks a sheep but now its time for beddy-byes so come on, my child close your eyes Sleep, my child, sleep.
Modern usage
The content of this song has been picked up by many bands, especially rock bands. The punk bandDritte Wahl picks up on this theme in the song "Lullaby", which points out and criticizes the themes of integration and xenophobia. In a version by J.B.O., the lullaby is underlaid with the melody of Metallica's "Enter Sandman". The text was also mixed with elements from the song "Maikäfer flieg". The deathcor band We Butter the Bread with Butter also has a version of the song on the albumDas Monster aus dem Schrank with altered text published. In the title "Träume anderer Leute" on the album Bring mich nach Hause by Wir sind Helden, the first verse in modified form forms the prelude. The song is on Nena's children's songs album Komm, lieber Mai and, in another version, on Nena's Tausend Sterne.
