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The Gift of the Magi

byO.Henry
Onedollarandeightysevencents.Thatwasall.Andsixtycentsofitwasinpennies.Penniessavedoneand
twoatatimebybulldozingthegrocerandthevegetablemanandthebutcheruntilone'scheeksburnedwith
thesilentimputationofparsimonythatsuchclosedealingimplied.ThreetimesDellacountedit.Onedollar
andeightysevencents.AndthenextdaywouldbeChristmas.
Therewasclearlynothingtodobutflopdownontheshabbylittlecouchandhowl.SoDelladidit.Which
instigatesthemoralreflectionthatlifeismadeupofsobs,sniffles,andsmiles,withsnifflespredominating.
Whilethemistressofthehomeisgraduallysubsidingfromthefirststagetothesecond,takealookatthe
home.Afurnishedflatat$8perweek.Itdidnotexactlybeggardescription,butitcertainlyhadthatwordon
thelookoutforthemendicancysquad.
Inthevestibulebelowwasaletterboxintowhichnoletterwouldgo,andanelectricbuttonfromwhichno
mortalfingercouldcoaxaring.Alsoappertainingthereuntowasacardbearingthename"Mr.James
DillinghamYoung."
The"Dillingham"hadbeenflungtothebreezeduringaformerperiodofprosperitywhenitspossessorwas
beingpaid$30perweek.Now,whentheincomewasshrunkto$20,though,theywerethinkingseriouslyof
contractingtoamodestandunassumingD.ButwheneverMr.JamesDillinghamYoungcamehomeand
reachedhisflatabovehewascalled"Jim"andgreatlyhuggedbyMrs.JamesDillinghamYoung,already
introducedtoyouasDella.Whichisallverygood.
Dellafinishedhercryandattendedtohercheekswiththepowderrag.Shestoodbythewindowandlooked
outdullyatagraycatwalkingagrayfenceinagraybackyard.TomorrowwouldbeChristmasDay,andshe
hadonly$1.87withwhichtobuyJimapresent.Shehadbeensavingeverypennyshecouldformonths,with
thisresult.Twentydollarsaweekdoesn'tgofar.Expenseshadbeengreaterthanshehadcalculated.They
alwaysare.Only$1.87tobuyapresentforJim.HerJim.Manyahappyhourshehadspentplanningfor
somethingniceforhim.Somethingfineandrareandsterlingsomethingjustalittlebitneartobeingworthy
ofthehonorofbeingownedbyJim.
Therewasapierglassbetweenthewindowsoftheroom.Perhapsyouhaveseenapierglassinan$8flat.A
verythinandveryagilepersonmay,byobservinghisreflectioninarapidsequenceoflongitudinalstrips,
obtainafairlyaccurateconceptionofhislooks.Della,beingslender,hadmasteredtheart.
Suddenlyshewhirledfromthewindowandstoodbeforetheglass.Hereyeswereshiningbrilliantly,buther
facehadlostitscolorwithintwentyseconds.Rapidlyshepulleddownherhairandletitfalltoitsfulllength.

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Now,thereweretwopossessionsoftheJamesDillinghamYoungsinwhichtheybothtookamightypride.
OnewasJim'sgoldwatchthathadbeenhisfather'sandhisgrandfather's.TheotherwasDella'shair.Had
thequeenofShebalivedintheflatacrosstheairshaft,Dellawouldhaveletherhairhangoutthewindow
somedaytodryjusttodepreciateHerMajesty'sjewelsandgifts.HadKingSolomonbeenthejanitor,withall
histreasurespiledupinthebasement,Jimwouldhavepulledouthiswatcheverytimehepassed,justtosee
himpluckathisbeardfromenvy.
SonowDella'sbeautifulhairfellaboutherripplingandshininglikeacascadeofbrownwaters.Itreached
belowherkneeandmadeitselfalmostagarmentforher.Andthenshediditupagainnervouslyandquickly.
Onceshefalteredforaminuteandstoodstillwhileatearortwosplashedonthewornredcarpet.
Onwentheroldbrownjacketonwentheroldbrownhat.Withawhirlofskirtsandwiththebrilliantsparkle
stillinhereyes,sheflutteredoutthedooranddownthestairstothestreet.
Whereshestoppedthesignread:"Mne.Sofronie.HairGoodsofAllKinds."OneflightupDellaran,and
collectedherself,panting.Madame,large,toowhite,chilly,hardlylookedthe"Sofronie."
"Willyoubuymyhair?"askedDella.
"Ibuyhair,"saidMadame."Takeyerhatoffandlet'shaveasightatthelooksofit."
Downrippledthebrowncascade.
"Twentydollars,"saidMadame,liftingthemasswithapracticedhand.
"Giveittomequick,"saidDella.
Oh,andthenexttwohourstrippedbyonrosywings.Forgetthehashedmetaphor.Shewasransackingthe
storesforJim'spresent.
Shefounditatlast.ItsurelyhadbeenmadeforJimandnooneelse.Therewasnootherlikeitinanyofthe
stores,andshehadturnedalloftheminsideout.Itwasaplatinumfobchainsimpleandchasteindesign,
properlyproclaimingitsvaluebysubstancealoneandnotbymeretriciousornamentationasallgoodthings
shoulddo.ItwasevenworthyofTheWatch.AssoonasshesawitsheknewthatitmustbeJim's.Itwaslike
him.Quietnessandvaluethedescriptionappliedtoboth.Twentyonedollarstheytookfromherforit,and
shehurriedhomewiththe87cents.WiththatchainonhiswatchJimmightbeproperlyanxiousaboutthe
timeinanycompany.Grandasthewatchwas,hesometimeslookedatitontheslyonaccountoftheold
leatherstrapthatheusedinplaceofachain.
WhenDellareachedhomeherintoxicationgavewayalittletoprudenceandreason.Shegotouthercurling
ironsandlightedthegasandwenttoworkrepairingtheravagesmadebygenerosityaddedtolove.Whichis
alwaysatremendoustask,dearfriendsamammothtask.
Withinfortyminutesherheadwascoveredwithtiny,closelyingcurlsthatmadeherlookwonderfullylikea
truantschoolboy.Shelookedatherreflectioninthemirrorlong,carefully,andcritically.
"IfJimdoesn'tkillme,"shesaidtoherself,"beforehetakesasecondlookatme,he'llsayIlooklikeaConey
Islandchorusgirl.ButwhatcouldIdooh!whatcouldIdowithadollarandeightysevencents?"
At7o'clockthecoffeewasmadeandthefryingpanwasonthebackofthestovehotandreadytocookthe
chops.

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Jimwasneverlate.Delladoubledthefobchaininherhandandsatonthecornerofthetablenearthedoor
thathealwaysentered.Thensheheardhissteponthestairawaydownonthefirstflight,andsheturned
whiteforjustamoment.Shehadahabitforsayinglittlesilentprayeraboutthesimplesteverydaythings,and
nowshewhispered:"PleaseGod,makehimthinkIamstillpretty."
ThedooropenedandJimsteppedinandclosedit.Helookedthinandveryserious.Poorfellow,hewasonly
twentytwoandtobeburdenedwithafamily!Heneededanewovercoatandhewaswithoutgloves.
Jimstoppedinsidethedoor,asimmovableasasetteratthescentofquail.HiseyeswerefixeduponDella,
andtherewasanexpressioninthemthatshecouldnotread,anditterrifiedher.Itwasnotanger,nor
surprise,nordisapproval,norhorror,noranyofthesentimentsthatshehadbeenpreparedfor.Hesimply
staredatherfixedlywiththatpeculiarexpressiononhisface.
Dellawriggledoffthetableandwentforhim.
"Jim,darling,"shecried,"don'tlookatmethatway.IhadmyhaircutoffandsoldbecauseIcouldn'thave
livedthroughChristmaswithoutgivingyouapresent.It'llgrowoutagainyouwon'tmind,willyou?Ijusthad
todoit.Myhairgrowsawfullyfast.Say`MerryChristmas!'Jim,andlet'sbehappy.Youdon'tknowwhata
nicewhatabeautiful,nicegiftI'vegotforyou."
"You'vecutoffyourhair?"askedJim,laboriously,asifhehadnotarrivedatthatpatentfactyetevenafterthe
hardestmentallabor.
"Cutitoffandsoldit,"saidDella."Don'tyoulikemejustaswell,anyhow?I'mmewithoutmyhair,ain'tI?"
Jimlookedabouttheroomcuriously.
"Yousayyourhairisgone?"hesaid,withanairalmostofidiocy.
"Youneedn'tlookforit,"saidDella."It'ssold,Itellyousoldandgone,too.It'sChristmasEve,boy.Begood
tome,foritwentforyou.Maybethehairsofmyheadwerenumbered,"shewentonwithsuddenserious
sweetness,"butnobodycouldevercountmyloveforyou.ShallIputthechopson,Jim?"
OutofhistranceJimseemedquicklytowake.HeenfoldedhisDella.Fortensecondsletusregardwith
discreetscrutinysomeinconsequentialobjectintheotherdirection.Eightdollarsaweekoramillionayear
whatisthedifference?Amathematicianorawitwouldgiveyouthewronganswer.Themagibrought
valuablegifts,butthatwasnotamongthem.Thisdarkassertionwillbeilluminatedlateron.
Jimdrewapackagefromhisovercoatpocketandthrewituponthetable.
"Don'tmakeanymistake,Dell,"hesaid,"aboutme.Idon'tthinkthere'sanythinginthewayofahaircutora
shaveorashampoothatcouldmakemelikemygirlanyless.Butifyou'llunwrapthatpackageyoumaysee
whyyouhadmegoingawhileatfirst."
Whitefingersandnimbletoreatthestringandpaper.Andthenanecstaticscreamofjoyandthen,alas!a
quickfemininechangetohystericaltearsandwails,necessitatingtheimmediateemploymentofallthe
comfortingpowersofthelordoftheflat.
FortherelayTheCombsthesetofcombs,sideandback,thatDellahadworshippedlonginaBroadway
window.Beautifulcombs,puretortoiseshell,withjeweledrimsjusttheshadetowearinthebeautiful
vanishedhair.Theywereexpensivecombs,sheknew,andherhearthadsimplycravedandyearnedover

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themwithouttheleasthopeofpossession.Andnow,theywerehers,butthetressesthatshouldhave
adornedthecovetedadornmentsweregone.
Butshehuggedthemtoherbosom,andatlengthshewasabletolookupwithdimeyesandasmileandsay:
"Myhairgrowssofast,Jim!"
AndthenDellaleapeduplikealittlesingedcatandcried,"Oh,oh!"
Jimhadnotyetseenhisbeautifulpresent.Shehelditouttohimeagerlyuponheropenpalm.Thedull
preciousmetalseemedtoflashwithareflectionofherbrightandardentspirit.
"Isn'titadandy,Jim?Ihuntedallovertowntofindit.You'llhavetolookatthetimeahundredtimesaday
now.Givemeyourwatch.Iwanttoseehowitlooksonit."
Insteadofobeying,Jimtumbleddownonthecouchandputhishandsunderthebackofhisheadandsmiled.
"Dell,"saidhe,"let'sputourChristmaspresentsawayandkeep'emawhile.They'retoonicetousejustat
present.Isoldthewatchtogetthemoneytobuyyourcombs.Andnowsupposeyouputthechopson."
Themagi,asyouknow,werewisemenwonderfullywisemenwhobroughtgiftstotheBabeinthe
manger.TheyinventedtheartofgivingChristmaspresents.Beingwise,theirgiftswerenodoubtwiseones,
possiblybearingtheprivilegeofexchangeincaseofduplication.AndhereIhavelamelyrelatedtoyouthe
uneventfulchronicleoftwofoolishchildreninaflatwhomostunwiselysacrificedforeachotherthegreatest
treasuresoftheirhouse.Butinalastwordtothewiseofthesedaysletitbesaidthatofallwhogivegifts
thesetwowerethewisest.Oallwhogiveandreceivegifts,suchastheyarewisest.Everywheretheyare
wisest.Theyarethemagi.

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