Die Blümelein, sie schlafen
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"Die Blümelein, sie schlafen" is the first line of the German lullaby "Sandmännchen" (Sandman), from Anton Wilhelm von Zuccalmaglio's collection Deutsche Volkslieder (1840). The melody is based on a French song from the late 1500s which was also used for the Christmas carol "Zu Bethlehem geboren" (1638) to a text by Friedrich Spee.
A sandman is a mythical figure in German and other European folk tales who sprinkles sand in the children's eyes at night, making them drowsy and inspiring beautiful dreams.
Johannes Brahms wrote a piano accompaniment for this song in 1858 as no. 4 in his collection 15 Volkskinderlieder (15 Folk Songs for Children), WoO 31.[1] He dedicated this collection to the children of Robert and Clara Schumann.[2]