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