The Gift Lyrics - Sweet Is The Melody - Aselin Debison

A poor orphan girl named Maria 

Was walking to market one day 

She stopped for to rest by the roadside 

Where a bird with a broken wing lay 

A few moments passed till she saw it 

For its feathers were covered with sand 

And soon cleaned and wrapped it was traveling 

In the warmth of Marias small hand 

She happily gave her last peso 

On a cage made of rushes and twine 

She fed it loose corn from the market 

And watched it grow stronger with time 

Now the gift-giving service was coming 

And the church shone with tinsel and light 

And all of the town folk brought presents 

To lay by the manger that night 

There where diamonds, incense and perfume 

And packages fit for a king 

But for one ragged bird in a small cage 

Maria had nothing to bring 

She waited till just before midnight 

So no one would see her go in 

And crying she knelt by the manger 

For her gift was unworthy of him 

Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness 

Maria, what brings you to me? 

If the bird in the cage is your offering 

Open the door, let me see 

So she trembled, she did as he asked her 

And out of the cage the bird flew 

Soaring up into the rafters 

On a wing that had healed good as new 

Just then the midnight bells rang out 

And the little bird started to sing 

A song that no words could recapture 

For its beauty was fit for a king 

Now Maria felt blessed just to listen 

To that cascade of notes sweet and long 

As her offering was lifted to heaven 

By the very first nightingales song