Tom: D
D
[Verse]
D
A poor orphan girl named Maria
A7
Was walking to market one day
She stopped for to rest by the roadside
D
Where a bird with a broken wing lay
A few moments passed 'til she saw it
A7
For its feathers were covered with sand
But soon clean and wrapped it was traveling
D
In the warmth of Maria's small hand
[Chorus]
G
She happily gave her last peso
D A7 D
On a cage made of rushes and twine
G
She fed it loose corn from the market
D A7
And watched it grow stronger with time
[Verse]
D
Now the Christmas Eve service was coming
A7
And the church shone with tinsel and light
And all of the townsfolk brought presents
D
To lay by the manger that night
There were diamonds and incense and perfumes
A7
In packages fit for a king
But for one ragged bird in a small cage
D
Maria had nothing to bring
[Chorus]
G
She waited till just before mid-night
D A7 D
So no one would see her go in
G
And, crying, she knelt by the manger
D A7
For her gift was unworthy of him (Key change to E)
[Verse]
E
Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness,
B7
"Maria, what brings you to me?
If the bird in the cage is your offering,
E
Open the door, let me see."
Though she trembled, she did as he asked her
B7
And out of the cage the bird flew
Soaring up into the rafters
E
On a wing that had healed good as new.
[Chorus]
A
Just then the midnight bells rang out
E B7 E
And the little bird started to sing
A
A song that no words could recapture
E B7
Whose beauty was fit for a king
[Verse]
E
Now Maria felt blessed just to listen
B7
To that cascade of notes sweet and long
As her offering was lifted to heaven
E
By the very first nightingale's song
[Outro]
| A | E B7 | E |
| A | E | B7 |
| E | E | B7 | B7 | E
(Fade)
