History Main / NowILayMeDownToSleep

-->Now I lay me down to sleep
-->And pray the Lord my soul to keep
-->And if I die before I wake
-->Pray the Lord my soul to take

A common Christian prayer said before bedtime, dating back at least to the 18th-century [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England_Primer New England Primer]]. In media, this is always said by children and has two uses:
* Showing how adorable or mischevious they are.
* IronicNurseryTune, especially in religious horror.

In the first variation, expect some kind of mundane addition like "and also give me a pony".

!!Examples:

[[AC:Literature]]

-->If I should die before I wake
-->Pray the Lord my toys to break

* ''{{Discworld}}''

How I hate the night

* Parodied by, of all people, Father Mulcahy in ''{{Series/Mash}}'':

* The HIM song "Buried Alive By Love" plays with the second part of the prayer:
-->If I should die before I wake, pray no one my soul to take

* Done many times in newspaper comics with small children like ''[[DennisTheMenaceUS Dennis the Menace]]'' and ''FamilyCircus''.
* A ''{{Garfield}}'' [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/04/29/ strip]] shows Jon starting the prayer, but he stops because he hears Garfield open the refrigerator door.

* LooneyTunes often uses this, particularly when a character is at gunpoint or under some other apparently mortal threat. The main villains, such as Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd, often make the demand, "Say your prayers, rabbit!"

** From ''ANightmareOnElmStreet 4: The Dream Master'':
-->Chorus Children: Now I lay me down to sleep. The Master of Dreams my soul will keep. In the reflection by my side...
-->Alice Johnson: Evil will see itself, and it shall die!

* In ''PussGetsTheBoot'', Jinx (later known as [[TomAndJerry Jerry]]) says it when he's caught by Jasper (Tom).

** ''{{Thud}}'': After extremist dwarfs break into Vimes's house, he, Sybil and their baby son briefly move into the Watch house. Four troll officers volunteer to guard Young Sam. Vimes hopes the boy will be impressed when he's older, as the best most kids can hope for is angels.

* Used rather ominously in ''ANightmareOnElmStreet''.

* A ''PearlsBeforeSwine'' strip with Larry the Croc and his son:

* BillCosby, in his "Cool Covers" routine from the ''Revenge'' album, describes how inappropriate it is to teach this prayer to a young child who's already scared to go to bed due to ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight.

* BillCosby, in his "Cool Covers" routine from the ''Revenge'' album, describes how inappropriate it is to teach this prayer to a young child who's convinced that monsters live under his bed and in his closet.

* Parodied by, of all people, Father Mulcahy in ''[=~M*A*S*H~=]'':

* ''ANightmareOnElmStreet''
* ''ANightmareOnElmStreet 4: The Dream Master''

** ''{{Thud}}'' mentioned that instead of 4 angels guarding his bed, young Sam had 4 [[OurTrollsAreDifferent trolls]] watching over him.

** In ''{{Hogfather}}'' Susan mentions this as one of the reasons she hates the previous nanny of the kids she looks after.

* Then there's the Selfish Kid's Prayer by Shel Silverstein:

* Lampshaded in ''{{Discworld}}'', as one of the reasons Susan hates the previous nanny of the kids she looks after.

A common Christian prayer said before bedtime. In media, this is always said by children and has two uses:

* In ''PussGetsTheBoot'', Jinx (later known as [[TomAndJerry Jerry]]) says it when he's caught by Jasper (Tom).

* In ''PussGetsTheBoot'', Jinx (later known as [[TomAndJerry Jerry]]) says it when he's caught by Jasper (Tom).

* ''Little Miss Marker'' (1934). Sorrowful Jones (Adolphe Menjou) teaches the rhyme to Marthy Jane (Shirley Temple) before she goes to bed.

* Parodied by, of all people, Father Mulcahy in {{MASH}}:

* Done many times in newspaper comics with small children like ''Dennis the Menace'' and ''Family Circus''.

->Chorus Children: Now I lay me down to sleep. The Master of Dreams my soul will keep. In the reflection by my side...
->Alice Johnson: Evil will see itself, and it shall die!

->If I should die before I wake
->Pray the Lord my toys to break
->So no other kids can use 'em...