The Gift. Garth Brooks.

Seq - Ron Tilden. Kar - Bunty Pritchard Jones. Dec 2003.

The Gift
Words and Music by: Stephanie Davis (1990)
Performed by: Garth Brooks (1992)
Sequenced by: Ron Tilden

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

She stopped for a 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.

But soon, clean and wrapped, it was trav'ling
In the warmth of Maria's 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 Christmas Eve 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 were diamonds and incense and perfumes
In 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 off'ring,
Open the door, let me see."

Though 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,
Whose beauty was fit for a king.

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

As her off'ring was lifted to heaven
By the very first nightingale's song.

The Gift
Soft karaoke
Words
Melody
Vocals
Harmony
Piano
Guitar
Guitar (Steel)
Bass
Drums