I know a man
Who has money untold
But he has no children
And he's growing old
Although I'm his brother
Money I've none
But we have two daughters
And we have two sons
He offered us money
For as long as we live
If in return
One child we would give
And at this offer
My wife starts to weep
And I said, "Come, we'll choose one
While they're asleep"
We stepped to the cradle
Where our baby sleep
And the moon reflected
A tear on her cheek
I looked at my wife
Through eyes that were blured
And I said, "No, darling
It can not be her"
Then we stepped softly
To a small trundle bed
To a face full of freckles
And his teddy bear Fred
I reached down
Brushed back his unruly hair
Oh, I'd dare not take him
From his mother's prayer
Then we moved quickly
To a small room above
And we stood there beside Mary
Our child of love
My eyes started burning
And I tried not to cry
Neither one of us spoke
As we passed her by
Then on to Jimmy
Our oldest lad
So much like his father
So true and so glad
His mother said
"No, for the whole world it's no
I can not and I will not
Let one of them go"
Then we wrote a letter
In a kind friendly way
"Though your offer is generous
We can't give one away"
When we sit at a table
And when I say grace
I thank God we're not missing
One little face