Joey + Rory - The gift

^CA poor orphan ^Cgirl named Maria Was walking to market one ^Gday She ^Gstopped for a rest by the roadside Where a bird with a broken wing ^Clay A ^Cfew moments passed till she saw it For it's feathers were covered with ^Gsand But ^Gsoon clean and wrapped it was traveling In the warmth of Maria's small ^Chand

She ^Fhappily gave her last peso On a ^Ccage made of rushes and twine She ^Ffed it loose corn from the market And ^Cwatched it grow stronger with ^Gtime

Now the ^CChristmas Eve service was coming And the church shone with tinsel and ^Glight And ^Gall of the townsfolk brought presents To lay by the manger that ^Cnight There were ^Cdiamonds and incense and perfumes In packages fit for a ^Gking But for ^Gone ragged bird in a small cage Maria had nothing to ^Cbring

She ^Fwaited till just before midnight So no ^Cone could ^Gsee her go ^Cin And ^Fcrying she knelt by the manger For her ^Cgift was unworthy of ^GHim

Then a ^Cvoice spoke to her through the darkness Maria, what brings you to ^Gme If the ^Gbird in the cage is your offering Open the door, let me ^Csee Though she ^Ctrembled, she did as he asked her And out of the cage the bird ^Gflew Soaring into the ^Grafters On a wing that had healed good as ^Cnew

^FJust then the midnight bells rang out And the ^Clittle bird started to sing A ^Fsong that no words could recapture Whose ^Cbeauty was fit for a ^GKing

Now ^CMaria felt blessed just to listen To that cascade of notes sweet and ^Glong As her ^Goffering was lifted to heaven By the very first nightingale's ^Csong