The Gift

	  		C 
A poor orphan girl named Maria 
                          G7 
Was walking to market one day 

She stopped for a rest by the roadside 
                                C 
Where a bird with a broken wing lay 


A few moments passed till she saw it 
                                    G7 
For its feathers were covered with sand 

But soon clean and wrapped it was traveling 
                               C 
In the warmth of Maria's small hand 

    F 
She happily gave her last peso 
     C 
On a cage made of rushes and twine 
    F 
She fed it loose corn from the market  
    C                             G7 
And watched it grow stronger with time 

        C 
Now the Christmas Eve service was coming 
                                     G7 
And the church shone with tinsel and light 

And all of the town folks brought presents 
                           C 
To lay by the manager that night 


There were diamonds and incense and perfumes 
                      G7 
In packages fit for a king 

But for one ragged bird in a small cage 
                     C 
Maria had nothing to bring 

    F 
She waited till just before midnight 
   C 
So no one would see her go in 
    F 
And crying she knelt by the manger 
    C                        G7 
For her gift was unworthy of Him 

       C 
Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness 
                         G7 
Maria what brings you to Me 

If the bird in the cage is your offering 
                     C 
Open the door let Me see 


Though she trembled she did as He asked her 
                             G7 
And out of the cage the bird flew 

Soaring up into the rafters 
                                  C 
On a wing that had healed good as new 

F 
Just then the midnight bells rang out 
    C 
And the little bird started to sing 
  F 
A song that no words could recapture 
      C                    G7 
Whose beauty was fit for a King 

    C 
Now Maria felt blessed just to listen 
                                   G7 
To that cascade of notes sweet and long 

As her offering was lifted to heaven 
                                C 
By the very first nightingale's song