Rochelle, one of the interesting aspects of traditional and folk music that I love is that one often can't be specific regarding certain meaning or origin of a particular piece. So we who love a tune or song may research as thoroughly as possible (we're nowhere near thorough in this little effort so far) yet may never be able to say for sure what all of the origins and influences may be.

As a lullaby, it seems reasonable to say it was meant to be sung to a child or children, yet there are songs in which the "speaker" is addressing the words to a bird or other non-human. We are fortunate, being free to sing the lullaby or other song to whom we please.