DESCRIPTION:
Tiny child, in the arms of the mother, tiny child, safe from any harm.
So precious and so fair, tiny child.
Tiny child, born into such love, tiny child sent from above.
So tender and new, tiny child.
Sleep well into the night, sleep well in peace!
May the angels guard the night and watch over every day.

Given the title of Petit Enfánt, one might assume this charming lullaby is a traditional French folk song. In actuality, this piece has roots in both Minnesota and Oklahoma. Dana Thompsen, a native of Perkins, Oklahoma, composed the simple melody when she was just fourteen years old. Some twenty years later, Robert Ward, the director of the Stillwater Boys Choir, was searching for a new piece for his Minnesota-based group to sing on their annual tour. Through a series of professional connections, lyricist Linda Miller Shaw and composer Dana Thompsen collaborated to compose a full choral piece based on that simple melody, and Ward was enchanted with its touching sweetness.