This is the same prayer my mother taught me. And, yes, while comforting on the surface, the realization—especially for a child—that you might die in your sleep is at once sobering and DEEPLY DISCOMFORTING. SIDS is indeed no laughing matter and this comic is focusing on the very fear that SIDS invokes.
This comic doesn’t diminish that. It simply shows the irony of a seemingly comforting bedtime prayer that invokes the horrifying prospect of possibly dying in your sleep.
I saw a slightly different version in a book of children’s prayers: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray thee Lord my soul to keep. Keep me safe all through the night, & wake me with the morning light. Much more comforting.
I grew up saying the version in the comic, and I also recall being a bit disturbed by it. Yes, there is SIDS, but I think it’s less common now than it used to be, so it’s less a normal part of life now.
The prayer I say with my kids is:
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray Thee Lord my soul to keep,
The angels watch me through the night,
And keep me safe til morning light.
Amen
I suppose it still recognizes the possiblity of SIDS, but in a more indirect way.
Well I thought of the Metallica song … You know, ‘Enter Sandman’?
The next few lines also fit the last panel …
‘hush little baby, don’t say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It’s just the beasts under your bed
In your closet, in your head!’
I think this baby is beyond the fear of SIDS. I don’t say that prayer…very depressing, instead I pray the Guardian Angel prayer which does not speak of dying in your sleep…
rayannina over 13 years ago
Yeah, let’s skip the dying part, what say?
yyyguy over 13 years ago
i always wondered about that, myself. how on earth would that calm someone down? just like the song “Rock a bye, baby.” another litany of disaster.
GROG Premium Member over 13 years ago
That’s why I could always go without the prayer.
Maureen Crothall over 13 years ago
That’s the prayer I used to say as a little ‘un, love the look.
GLENN B WOODEN over 13 years ago
This is the same prayer my mother taught me. And, yes, while comforting on the surface, the realization—especially for a child—that you might die in your sleep is at once sobering and DEEPLY DISCOMFORTING. SIDS is indeed no laughing matter and this comic is focusing on the very fear that SIDS invokes. This comic doesn’t diminish that. It simply shows the irony of a seemingly comforting bedtime prayer that invokes the horrifying prospect of possibly dying in your sleep.
A. Buckeye over 13 years ago
I saw a slightly different version in a book of children’s prayers: Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray thee Lord my soul to keep. Keep me safe all through the night, & wake me with the morning light. Much more comforting.
griefofdawn over 13 years ago
far more comforting for the Lord to take your soul than the devil! mtvbuckeye, I like your version better.
Redhead55 over 13 years ago
That version is a keeper, mtvbuckeye.
Shay over 13 years ago
Good prayer!
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 13 years ago
Yes I am familiar with the other version also. Much better and much more comforting.
joylion over 13 years ago
Lol Poor Baby! He’s gonna b having Nightmares for a While now!
Dapperdan61 Premium Member over 13 years ago
Nighty night don’t let the bedbugs bite
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 13 years ago
Yes dapperdan61 another good one!
RadioTom over 13 years ago
Don’t wanna go by the devil, Don’t wanna go by the Demon; Don’t wanna go by Satan; don’t wanna die uneasy; Just let me go naturally
And when I die, and when I’m dead, dead and gone; There’ll be one child born in the world to carry on, to carry on..
lisa4romMpls over 13 years ago
What a nice comforting way to get baby to sleep -not! Bottle works just fine for our little one.
frightenup Premium Member over 13 years ago
I grew up saying the version in the comic, and I also recall being a bit disturbed by it. Yes, there is SIDS, but I think it’s less common now than it used to be, so it’s less a normal part of life now.
The prayer I say with my kids is:
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray Thee Lord my soul to keep, The angels watch me through the night, And keep me safe til morning light. Amen
I suppose it still recognizes the possiblity of SIDS, but in a more indirect way.
mikeopipes over 13 years ago
Prayer is messed up. This prayer is sevrely messed up.
Mihir Asher over 13 years ago
Well I thought of the Metallica song … You know, ‘Enter Sandman’?
The next few lines also fit the last panel … ‘hush little baby, don’t say a word And never mind that noise you heard It’s just the beasts under your bed In your closet, in your head!’
Leticia Shelley over 13 years ago
I think this baby is beyond the fear of SIDS. I don’t say that prayer…very depressing, instead I pray the Guardian Angel prayer which does not speak of dying in your sleep…
Trisha_Evenstar over 13 years ago
I never liked it, always creeped me out
runhaliqa over 13 years ago
its just a comic for goodness sake! just for fun, have a laugh!
mikeopipes about 13 years ago
Sleep is better than prayer!
ComicsGuy1234 over 6 years ago
Que the Metallica music
adoragem123 over 3 years ago
my mom’s mom used to do that to her…