The gift
(Listen to midi)
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1. A poor orphan girl named Maria,
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was walking to market one day,
she stopped for a rest by the
roadside,
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where a bird with a broken
wing lay.
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2. A few moments passed till she saw it,
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for it's feathers were covered
with sand,
but soon clean and wrapped it
was travelling
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in the warmth of Maria's small
hand.
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She happily gave her last peso
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on a cage made of rushes and
twine.
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She fed it loose corn from the
market,
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and watched it grow stronger
with time.
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3. Now the Christmas Eve service was coming,
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and the church shone with
tinsel and light,
and all of the town folks
brought presents
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to lay by the manger that
night.
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4. There were diamonds and incense and perfumes
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in packages fit for a king,
but for one ragged bird in a
small cage,
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Maria had nothing to bring.
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She waited till just before
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so no one would see her go
in,
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and crying she knelt by the
manger,
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for her gift was unworthy of
Him.
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5. Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness,
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”Maria, what brings you to me
?
If the bird in the cage is
your offering,
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open the door, let me see !“
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6.Though she trembled, she did as He asked her
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and out of the cage the bird
flew,
soaring up into the rafters
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on a wing that had healed good
as new.
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Just then the
and the little bird started to
sing,
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a song that no words could
recapture,
whose beauty was fit for a
king.
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7. Now Maria felt blessed just to listen
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to that cascade of notes sweet
and long,
as her offerings was lifted to
heaven
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by the very first
nightingale's song. (Garth Brooks)