Summary of the story, "The gift of the Magi" is written by William Sydney Porter.
Della expressed deep despair when she found that she had only one dollar and eighty-seven cents as her savings on the Christmas Eve. She saved that amount by hard bargaining with the shop keepers. She realized that life was full of weeping
Della and her husband Jim lived in a cheaply furnished flat. Poverty was written all over the face of the flat. It had a unusable letterbox, an out-of-order electric bell, and an almost an effaced card bearing the name Mr. James Dillingham Young. Jim's income has now come down from thirty to twenty dollars a week. But the love of the young couple did not diminish a bit.
Della stopped weeping but felt worried. She intended to give Jim a beautiful and unique Christmas present the next day. It was difficult to maintain a family with only twenty dollars. Still, she had managed to save something out of it during the last few months. But it was only one dollar and eighty-seven cents.
Suddenly Della turned around from the window and by an agile movement of her body saw her reflection in the thin pier glass placed between the windows. Then she let her hair fall to its full length. Joy and sorrow played on her face.
Jim and Della had two things of which they were proud. Jim had a gold watch that originally belonged to his grandfather. This would be an envy of king Solomon with all his wealth. Della had her beautiful hair which she considered more valuable than all the wealth and gifts of the Queen of Sheba.
Della's hair rolled down her body and covered it up to the knee. She did it up again, hesitated a little, with tears in her eyes, and then put on her old brown jacket and hat. Then she rushed to the shop of Mme. Sofronie, hair-goods dealer.
Della offered to sell her hair. Mme. Sofronie examined her hair and gave her twenty dollars for her beautiful mass of brown hair.
Della ran from one shop to another for two hours in search of a present for Jim. At last, she found a simple but dignified platinum fob chain which was exactly suitable for Jim's watch. Now Jim would not have to look furtively at his watch having no Chain. Della purchased it for twenty-one dollars.
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| The Gift of the Magi |
Della and her husband Jim lived in a cheaply furnished flat. Poverty was written all over the face of the flat. It had a unusable letterbox, an out-of-order electric bell, and an almost an effaced card bearing the name Mr. James Dillingham Young. Jim's income has now come down from thirty to twenty dollars a week. But the love of the young couple did not diminish a bit.
Della stopped weeping but felt worried. She intended to give Jim a beautiful and unique Christmas present the next day. It was difficult to maintain a family with only twenty dollars. Still, she had managed to save something out of it during the last few months. But it was only one dollar and eighty-seven cents.
Suddenly Della turned around from the window and by an agile movement of her body saw her reflection in the thin pier glass placed between the windows. Then she let her hair fall to its full length. Joy and sorrow played on her face.
Jim and Della had two things of which they were proud. Jim had a gold watch that originally belonged to his grandfather. This would be an envy of king Solomon with all his wealth. Della had her beautiful hair which she considered more valuable than all the wealth and gifts of the Queen of Sheba.
Della's hair rolled down her body and covered it up to the knee. She did it up again, hesitated a little, with tears in her eyes, and then put on her old brown jacket and hat. Then she rushed to the shop of Mme. Sofronie, hair-goods dealer.
Della offered to sell her hair. Mme. Sofronie examined her hair and gave her twenty dollars for her beautiful mass of brown hair.
Della ran from one shop to another for two hours in search of a present for Jim. At last, she found a simple but dignified platinum fob chain which was exactly suitable for Jim's watch. Now Jim would not have to look furtively at his watch having no Chain. Della purchased it for twenty-one dollars.
Returning home Della curled her hair with her curling irons to make herself presentable to Jim. After forty minutes of the tremendous effort, she looked like a truant schoolboy or a Coney Island chorus girl. She watched her reflection in the mirror. She felt sad but with her small savings, she had no options.
Della made the coffee and got the chops ready for cooking at 7. As she waited for Jim, holding the fob chain in her hand, she heard Jim's step on the stair and became afraid. She silently prayed to God that Jim found her pretty still.
Jim, a young man of twenty-two with an old overcoat and without gloves, stepped in and closed the door. Then he looked at Della with a fixed inexplicable look. Della could not understand his expression and so she was terrified.
Della approached Jim and explained to him that she had to sell her har to buy for Jim a Christmas present. She assured him that her hair would grow fast. She told him that she had a nice gift for him.
Jim could not believe his eyes and repeatedly asked Della if she had cut off her hair. Della told him that she had to sell her hair for Jim. Besides, her love for Jim was immeasurable unlike the countable hairs on her head.
Della made the coffee and got the chops ready for cooking at 7. As she waited for Jim, holding the fob chain in her hand, she heard Jim's step on the stair and became afraid. She silently prayed to God that Jim found her pretty still.
Jim, a young man of twenty-two with an old overcoat and without gloves, stepped in and closed the door. Then he looked at Della with a fixed inexplicable look. Della could not understand his expression and so she was terrified.
Della approached Jim and explained to him that she had to sell her har to buy for Jim a Christmas present. She assured him that her hair would grow fast. She told him that she had a nice gift for him.
Jim could not believe his eyes and repeatedly asked Della if she had cut off her hair. Della told him that she had to sell her hair for Jim. Besides, her love for Jim was immeasurable unlike the countable hairs on her head.
Jim soon regained normalcy and embraced Della. It is not money but mutual love and affection which is more important in life. But the magi who brought costly presents did not bring self-sacrificing love with them.
Taking out a packet from his overcoat pocket Jim threw it upon the table. He told Della that upon opening the packet she would understand why he had felt puzzled at first. Della opened the packet and found them a very beautiful and costly set of combs, which she had despairingly longed to have. She screamed with joy but cried bitterly because she had no more beautiful hair to use them. Jim comforted her and Della was somewhat consoled. Holding the combs to her bosom she assured Jim that her hair would grow quickly. Then realizing the shock Jim had she cried again.
Della now offered to Jim her beautiſul present. She searched all over the town to find that beautiful chain for Jim's watch. And now Jim would proudly show his watch with the new chain to every-body. With a sad smile, Jim dropped on to the couch and informed Della it would be of no use to him as he had sold away his watch to buy the combs. He asked her to keep the presents aside which could not be used by either of them.
The system of giving Christmas presents was stated by the Magi who brought gifts for baby Christ. They were wise in giving material gifts that could be exchanged. In this story, two foolish young lovers sacrificed their best possessions for each other.
Taking out a packet from his overcoat pocket Jim threw it upon the table. He told Della that upon opening the packet she would understand why he had felt puzzled at first. Della opened the packet and found them a very beautiful and costly set of combs, which she had despairingly longed to have. She screamed with joy but cried bitterly because she had no more beautiful hair to use them. Jim comforted her and Della was somewhat consoled. Holding the combs to her bosom she assured Jim that her hair would grow quickly. Then realizing the shock Jim had she cried again.
Della now offered to Jim her beautiſul present. She searched all over the town to find that beautiful chain for Jim's watch. And now Jim would proudly show his watch with the new chain to every-body. With a sad smile, Jim dropped on to the couch and informed Della it would be of no use to him as he had sold away his watch to buy the combs. He asked her to keep the presents aside which could not be used by either of them.
The system of giving Christmas presents was stated by the Magi who brought gifts for baby Christ. They were wise in giving material gifts that could be exchanged. In this story, two foolish young lovers sacrificed their best possessions for each other.
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