I Found the Trail of the Mountain Mist the Mountain Mist but Never a Trace of Baby

We know that lullabies work by decreasing heart rate and pain levels in babies, as found in research by Great Ormond Street. Yet that doesn't explain why the lyrics to these lullabies can ofttimes be as creepy as any Brothers Grimm tale.

With this in heed, we've collected some of the strangest and most unsettling lullabies from around the world and created fittingly creepy posters for each one. You can learn more about the lullabies on this map (where you lot can also listen to the songs), or by reading below.

The Highland Fairy Lullaby - Scotland

This Scottish lullaby has a beautiful melody simply alarming lyrics, telling the tale of a mother who leaves her baby outside. When she returns, she finds the infant changed. The lullaby discusses a common idea used to explain strange babyhood behaviours.

These 'changelings' are believed to be children we would now recognise every bit having a learning difficulty, just without this scientific explanation, a myth was invented.

Lyrics in Translation

I left my babe lying here,
Lying hither, lying here
I left my babe lying there
To get and gather berries.

I establish the wee brownish otter's track
Otter'southward track, otter's track
I institute the wee brown otter's runway
Simply ne'er a trace o' my baby, O!

I establish the track of the swan on the lake
Swan on the lake, swan on the lake
I found the track of the swan on the lake
Just not the track of baby, O!

I found the trail of the mountain mist
Mountain mist, mountain mist
I found the trail of the mountain mist
But ne'er a trace of baby, O!

Bium Bium – Republic of iceland

This lullaby originates in Republic of iceland and tells the story of a monster lurking outside, waiting to lull children abroad in the night. The Bium Bium is the name of the monster which waits for the children. Bium Bium is believed to have been originally written as part of a play called Fjalla-Eyvindur.

In the play, a female parent is soothing her child to slumber so that she tin can drown the kid and exist gratuitous to bring together her married man who is running away from the authorities.

Lyrics in Translation

Bium bium bambaló
Bambaló and dilidillidó
My picayune friend and I lull to rest
But outside, a confront looms at the window
When the mighty mountains
Fill your chest with called-for desire,
I will play the langspil
And soothe your mind.

Bium bium bambaló
Bambaló and dilidillidó
My little friend I lull to residual
But outside, a confront looks at the window
When the barbarous storms rage
And the dark blizzard crouches above,
I shall light five candles
And drive away the winter shadows.

Stone-A-Bye Infant – USA

There are two theories as to the pregnant of Rock-A-Bye Infant. Some believe it refers to King James Two of England. The King and his wife, Mary of Modena, were unable to produce a male heir. It is believed they had a baby male child smuggled into the birthing room and claimed him every bit their own.

Some other theory is that the lullaby was written past an English language migrant to America who married a Native American woman. Native American women would place their babies in birch cradles and append them in trees to be rocked by a breeze.

Lyrics

Rock-a-bye baby,
In the treetop.
When the air current blows,
The cradle will rock.
When the bender breaks,
The cradle will fall.
Down volition come babe,
Cradle and all.

Hush Little Babe – Us

Originating in the southern states of America, it'south unclear simply how sometime this lullaby is. A parent sings to their child, trying to bribe them into going to slumber and is popular because of the repetitive lyrics and soothing rhythm. However, there is a darker side to the song.

In the final lines, they are so desperate to go along the infant asleep, information technology suggests the mother would run into the baby's death as a blessing every bit they would become the 'sweetest lilliputian baby in town'.

Lyrics

Hush, little infant, don't say a word.
Mama'south gonna buy you a Mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Mama'southward gonna purchase yous a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns contumely,
Mama'south gonna purchase you a looking drinking glass.
And if that looking drinking glass gets broke,
Mama'southward gonna purchase y'all a billy goat.
And if that billy goat won't pull,
Mama'southward gonna buy you a cart and bull.
And if that cart and bull turn over,
Mama'due south gonna buy you a horse and cart.
And if that horse and cart autumn down,
You'll still exist the sweetest baby in boondocks.

Dodo Titi – Republic of haiti

The well-nigh popular lullaby in Haiti, this song is ofttimes partly improvised by parents trying to get their baby to sleep. Every bit with many other lullabies, the child is warned if they don't get to slumber, they will come to harm.

Lyrics in Translation

Sweet sleep, mommy'due south niggling one,
Sweet sleep, daddy's little one.
If you practice not sleep, the crab will eat you.
If you do non sleep, the crab volition eat you.
Your daddy's away he's at the river,
Your mommy'southward away getting firewood.
If yous do not sleep, the crab will eat you.
If you do non slumber, the crab will eat y'all.

Sweet sleep, mommy's little 1,
Sweetness sleep, daddy's trivial one.
If you lot practise not sleep, the crab will eat y'all.
If you practice not sleep, the crab volition swallow y'all.
Your mommy's away she'due south at the river,
Your daddy's away he's trapping venereal.
If you lot do non sleep, the crab will consume you lot.
If you practice not sleep, the crab will eat y'all.
Sleep, niggling ane,
Crab's in the gumbo.
Sleep, piddling one!
Crab's in the gumbo.

Dodo Piti Popo – Trinidad

This Trinidadian lullaby has been sung for generations, but it's verbal ancestry are unknown. Information technology is based on a demon who often features in Caribbean sociology, called the jumbie. A jumbie is the spirit of an evil person who has died. They are said to be a shapeshifter, moving betwixt the form of a scary old witch (soucouyant) and a ball of fire.

The warning in the lullaby is that if the child doesn't fall asleep they will be carried away by this spirit and their blood will be drained.

Lyrics in Translation

Slumber, little baby,
The little infant doesn't want to sleep.
The jumbie will eat him
The soucouyant will suck his claret.

Que Llueva, Que Llueva – Argentina

This lullaby is i of the nigh popular in Argentina and Republic of colombia. Information technology is sung to stop children from being afraid of the pelting every bit the area has many thunderstorms. The song links bad weather to witchcraft and magic.

Information technology is similar to many of its Spanish counterparts as traditional Castilian folk songs are often preoccupied with nature and the weather.

Lyrics in Translation

Let it rain, let it rain,
The witch is in the cave,
The birds sing,
The witch rises in the air.
Oh yes, oh no,
Let it pour down
Under the bed
With h2o and soap.

Boju Boju – Nigeria

This is another lullaby with a warning. Information technology tells children that if they don't stay in bed with their eyes shut, a monster volition find and kill them. 'Boju Boju' means a mask or could refer to a version of peekaboo. In this song, there is a reference to the god Oro of the Yoruba religion.

The Oro referred to in the song, is a masquerade in his honour where the men disguise themselves as spirits while the women stay at home and hide. Oloro is the high chief in charge of the masquerade, with Oloro translating to 'chief masquerader'.

Lyrics in Translation

Cover your eyes,
Oh!
The Oloro is coming,
Oh!
Become and hide,
Oh!
Should I open up them?
Open, open, open up them!
Open, open up, open them!
Whoever he finds will be killed,
Oh!

Duérmete, Mi Nińo - Kingdom of spain

A pop lullaby across Espana and Latin America, Mi Nińo gently warns a sleepless kid to think twice about staying awake. If they don't then the 'Coco', which is an indistinct monster, will come to take them away. In the second verse, the Coco won't just take them away but volition eat them.

In Latin culture, the mother is traditionally the parent who stays habitation with the child, therefore this song is traditionally simply ever song by mothers or women caring for a immature kid.

Lyrics in Translation

Slumber little one,
Sleep my dearest,
Or the Coco will come and take you lot,
Away.
Slumber little one,
Slumber my love,
Or the coco will come and swallow you up.

Bayu Bayushki Bayu - Russian federation

Ensuring children in Russian federation and Belarus are unlikely to go out of bed during the dark, this lullaby warns them they must stay in the centre of their bed or a wolf might come out from beneath it and grab them. The origins of this lullaby aren't known simply it remains very popular in Russian federation and is nevertheless sung today.

Lyrics in Translation

Sleep sleep slumber,
Don't lie too close to the edge of the bed,
Or little greyness wolf will come,
And grab you by the flank,
Drag you lot into the woods,
Underneath the willow root.
Sleep slumber sleep.

Lelo Ledung – Republic of indonesia

Originating on the Indonesian island of Java, it tells the story of a giant who carries away crying children. It is mainly aimed at little girls as it warns them that they look ugly when they cry and asks them to make their families proud.

Sung over a series of stanzas, each i tells the child to autumn directly to slumber to avert being taken by the monster. It is believed this is an ancient lullaby that has been sung for thousands of years and it is still very much popular in Java today.

Lyrics in Translation

Tak lelo…lelo…lelo ledung…
Delight hush, don't keep on crying,
My child with a lovely face.
If you cry, you won't expect as beautiful.
I pray that you can live honourably,
Be a adult female of loftier importance,
Bring honour to your parents' proper name,
Exist a warrior of your country…
Delight hush…my kid…
There, the moon is full,
Similar the head of a scary giant,
Ane who'due south looking for a crying child.

Tak lelo…lelo…lelo ledung...
Please hush, my cute kid,
I am carrying you in a sling.
If you keep crying, you'll make me nervous.

Babes in the Forest – Australia

It's not certain how old this popular Australian lullaby is, but it is based on a fairy tale that has been around for generations and has now gone on to inspire numerous pantomimes and plays. The lullaby tells the story of 2 children who are left to fend for themselves in the woods and sometime later, they die alone.

It doesn't audio similar a very soothing bailiwick for immature children, but it does fit with the theme of using lullabies to warn children not to become out alone. It continues to be a well-loved song in Commonwealth of australia today.

Lyrics

Oh, my friends don't y'all know,
How a long time ago,
There were two little children,
Whose names I don't know.
They were taken away,
On a cold winter's 24-hour interval,
And left in the woods,
So I heard some folks say.
And they sobbed, and they sighed,
And they bitterly cried,
'Til, at last, they grew weary,
And lay downwards and died.
And the robins so red,
When they saw they were dead,
Took strawberry leaves,
And over them spread.
Oh, babes in the woods,
Poor babes in the woods,
How distressing is the story,
Of the babes in the woods.

It's clear that lullabies are embedded deeply into the psyche of many cultures and even though some of them may exist scary, they do aid babies and united states to fall asleep. See more than on the world's creepiest lullabies on this map.

cunninghamnothaveld.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.mattressonline.co.uk/blog/family/revealed-the-worlds-creepiest-lullabies/

Share this post