Edelweiss

I have always had a tradition at camp of singing my girls to sleep every night. I have found that it is the most effective way of getting them to quiet down and count sheep. There is one song that I have always sung my girls every week and sometimes every night, without fail. That song is: "Edelweiss," the song that is sung on The Sound of Music. There is just something so peaceful about it that made my girls fall asleep every night, without so much as a peep. I even sung the song to Livvy(a little three year old that I babysat throughout high school) during her nap times. It worked for a while, until she memorized the lyrics and would ask me to sing the song, just so she could sing along and therefore, prolong the inevitability of her much dreaded nap. My mother also sung the song to "mini" me before my bed times.
I was actually curious about the history of the song, so I looked it up on Wikipedia, which is the most reliable of sources. I had originally thought that it was Austria's national anthem or something to that extent. The song was actually written by Rodgers and Hammerstein specifically for The Sound of Music. There is actually a Christian version of the song that is called "May the Lord, Mighty God," which was written quite some time after the original version. The song is about a flower that grows primarily in the European alps.
The Edelweiss flower is white in color and is actually known for its use in easing abdominal pain. This flower was known for its "love charms." To prove their bravery and serious intentions, men would actually attempt to climb mountains, where the Edelweiss grows, to pick bouquets of the flower and present it to their lover. Apparently, many men died in the attempt, because of such steep mountainsides and bad weather conditions. It kind of makes the store-bought flowers of today seem a little cheap in comparison. The flower is being protected by most all of the European governments and is now illegal to pick, so I would recommend a different approach in proving bravery.
In case you don't know the words to this famous song, I will write the lyrics below so you can learn it and possibly sing it to a cabin full of munchkins... or to yourself, when you are trying to get some sleep.

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white,
clean and bright
You look happy to meet me.
Blossom of snow
may you bloom and grow,
Bloom and grow forever.
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever