[00:00.00]时代音乐网 www.78497.com  [00:00.08]The Gift - Platinum Country All-Stars [00:06.88]A poor orphan girl named Maria [00:12.06]Was walking to market one day [00:17.91]She stopped for a rest by the roadside [00:23.50]Where a bird with a broken wing lay [00:29.48]A few moments passed till she saw it [00:34.80]For it's feathers were covered with sand [00:40.95]But soon clean and wrapped it was traveling [00:46.34]In the warmth of Maria's small hand [00:52.31]She happily gave her last peso [00:57.75]On a cage made of rushes and twine [01:03.69]She fed it loose corn from the market [01:09.44]And watched it grow stronger with time [01:14.49]Now the Christmas Eve service was coming [01:20.50]And the church shone with tinsel and light [01:26.64]And all of the townfolk brought presents [01:32.26]To lay by the manger that night [01:37.38]There were diamonds and incense and perfumes [01:43.66]In packages fit for a king [01:49.20]But for one ragged bird in a small cage [01:55.17]Maria had nothing to bring [02:00.86]She waited till just before midnight [02:06.45]So no one could see her go in [02:12.31]And crying she knelt by the manger [02:17.75]For her gift was unworthy of him [02:23.85]Then a voice spoke to her through the darkness [02:29.45]Maria what brings you to me [02:34.95]If the bird in the cage is your offering [02:41.11]Open the door let me see [02:46.47]She trembled she did as he asked her [02:52.32]And out of the cage the bird flew [02:58.06]Soaring up into the rafters [03:03.52]On a wing that had healed good as new [03:09.62]Just then the midnight bells rang out [03:14.89]And the little bird started to sing [03:20.91]A song that no words could recapture [03:26.39]Whose beauty was fit for a king [03:31.63]Now Maria felt blessed just to listen [03:37.68]To that cascade of notes sweet and long [03:43.38]As her offering was lifted to heaven [03:49.20]By the very first nightingale's song