Fourteen angels in a band Every night around me stand. Two to my left hand, Two to my right, Who watch me ever By day and night. Two at my head, Two at my feet, To guard my slumber Soft and sweet; Two to wake me At break of day, When night and darkness Pass away; Two to cover me Warm and nice, And two to lead me To Paradise. Passing on to Italy we find an embarrassing abundance of folk-prayers framed after the self-same model. The repose of the Venetian is under the charge of the Perfect Angel, the Angel of God, St Bartholomew, the Blessed Mother, St Elizabeth, the Four Evangelists, and St John the Baptist. Venetian children are taught to say: "I go to bed, I know not if I shall arise. Thou, Lord, who knowest, keep good watch over me. Before my soul separates from my body, give me help and good comfort. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, so be it. Bless my heart and my soul!" The Venetians also have a "Paternoster pichenin," and a "Paternoster grande," both of which are, in their existing form, little else than nonsense. The native of the Marches goes to his rest accompanied by our Lord, the Madonna, the Four Evangelists, _l'Angelo perfetto_, four greater angels, and three others--one at the foot, one at the head, one in the middle. The Tuscan, like the German, has only angels around him: of these he has seven--one at the head, one at the foot, two at the sides, one to cover him, one to watch him, and one to bear him to Paradise. The Sicilian says: "I lay me down in this bed, with Jesus on my breast. I sleep and he watches. In this bed where I am laid, five saints I find: two at the head, two at the feet, in the middle is St Michael." Perhaps the best expression of the belief in the divine guardians of sleep is that given to it by an ancient Sardinian poet:-- Su letto meo est de battor cantones, Et battor anghelos si bie ponen; Duos in pes, et duos in cabitta, Nostra Segnora a costazu m'ista. E a me narat: Dormi e reposa, No hapas paura de mala cosa, No hapas paura de mala fine. S' Anghelu Serafine, S' Anghelu Biancu, S' Ispiridu Santu, Sa Vigine Maria, Tote siant in cumpagnia mea. Anghelu de Deu, Custodio meo, Custa nott' illuminame! Guarda e difende a me Ca eo mi incommando a tie. My bed has four corners and four angels standing by it. Two at the foot and two at the head; our Lady is beside me. And to me she says, "Sleep and repose; have no fear of evil things; have no fear of an evil end." The angel Serafine, the angel Blanche, the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary--all are here to keep me company. Angel of God, thou my guardian, illuminate me this night. Watch and defend me, for I commend myself to thee.