The Gift of Magi Story in English | Stories for Teenagers | @EnglishFairyTales

Summary

In a quaint English town, lovers James and Della face financial hardship, yet their love remains strong. With Christmas approaching, both secretly sell their most prized possessions to buy gifts for each other, only to discover the bittersweet irony of their sacrifices. The story of 'The Gift of the Magi' is a poignant tale of love and the true spirit of giving, where the greatest treasures are the selfless acts of the heart.

Takeaways

• 💑 The story revolves around James and Della, a loving couple living in a small town in England.
• 💼 James works as a typist in a newspaper company, initially earning 50 pounds a month.
• 💍 James and Della get married and live a content life until economic hardship strikes.
• 💸 Recession causes James's salary to drop to 40 pounds a month, leading to financial struggles for the couple.
• 🎁 The couple cherishes two possessions: James's inherited gold watch and Della's long, beautiful hair.
• 💇‍♀️ Della decides to sell her hair to buy a Christmas gift for James, receiving 20 pounds for it.
• 🛍️ With the money, Della purchases a platinum fob chain for James's watch, spending 21 pounds.
• 🎅 Christmas Eve brings the couple's sacrifices to light as they exchange gifts.
• 😢 Della is initially shocked by James's reaction to her new appearance, but he reassures her of his love.
• 🎁 James surprises Della with a set of combs she had long desired, which she can no longer use due to her shorter hair.
• 💔 The couple realizes they have both made sacrifices to buy gifts for each other, which are now less useful.
• 🌟 Despite their sacrifices, the love and thoughtfulness they display make them the wisest of all gift-givers.

Q & A

What is the setting of the story 'The Gift of the Magi'?

The story is set in a small town in England.

Who are the main characters in the story?

The main characters are James and Della, a young couple deeply in love.

What significant event happens after James gets a job and proposes to Della?

James and Della get married in a small celebration.

How much is James's salary reduced to after the recession strikes?

James's salary is reduced to 40 pounds a month.

What are the two most prized possessions of James and Della?

James's gold watch, which is a family heirloom, and Della's beautiful long brown hair.

Why does Della decide to sell her hair?

Della sells her hair because she wants to buy a Christmas gift for James but only has 87 pence.

What does Della buy for James with the money she gets from selling her hair?

Della buys a platinum fob chain for James's gold watch.

What gift does James buy for Della, and how does he pay for it?

James buys a set of combs that Della had long admired, and he pays for it by selling his gold watch.

How does Della react when she sees her gift from James?

Della is initially overjoyed but then heartbroken because the gift is a set of combs for her long hair, which she has sold.

What is the irony in the story regarding the gifts they buy for each other?

The irony is that Della sells her hair to buy a chain for James's watch, and James sells his watch to buy combs for Della's hair.

What is the moral or message of the story?

The story conveys the message that the greatest gift is the selfless love and sacrifice demonstrated by the characters, making them the wisest of all like the Magi.

Outlines

00:00

💑 Love and Sacrifice in Recession

The story begins in a quaint English town where James and Della, deeply in love, face economic hardship when a recession cuts James's salary. Despite their financial struggles, they remain devoted to each other. As Christmas approaches, Della sells her prized long hair to buy a platinum fob chain for James's cherished gold watch, a family heirloom. This act of love and sacrifice sets the stage for the story's theme of selfless giving.

05:01

🎁 The Unforeseen Gift Exchange

On Christmas Eve, Della and James exchange gifts, only to discover they've made similar sacrifices for each other. Della presents James with a set of tortoise shell combs she had long admired, unaware that James has sold his gold watch to purchase them. The revelation of their selfless acts underscores the depth of their love and the bittersweet irony of their situation, as they now have gifts that are incomplete without the sacrifices they've made.

10:02

🌟 The True Magi of Love

The narrative concludes by drawing a parallel between the wise men, the Magi, who brought gifts to the baby Jesus, and James and Della, who have given the most valuable gifts of all—their most prized possessions. Their sacrifices are deemed wiser than the Magi's, as they reflect the true spirit of Christmas, the art of giving, and the depth of their love for one another.

Keywords

💡Lovers

Lovers in this context refers to individuals who are deeply in love with each other, often romantically. In the video, James and Della are portrayed as lovers who are madly in love, setting the foundation for the selfless sacrifices they make for each other, which is central to the video's theme of love and giving.

💡Recession

A recession is a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced. In the script, the recession leads to a reduction in James's salary, which is a pivotal moment as it triggers the couple's financial struggles and their subsequent acts of sacrifice.

💡Possessions

Possessions are items owned by someone and often hold personal value. In the video, the two possessions that James and Della take pride in are James's gold watch and Della's hair. These possessions become the sacrifices they make for each other, symbolizing the depth of their love.

💡Sacrifice

Sacrifice is the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. The theme of sacrifice is central to the video, as both James and Della give up their most prized possessions to buy gifts for each other, demonstrating their selfless love.

💡Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, a widely celebrated holiday. In the script, it is the backdrop for the story's climax, where the couple's sacrifices and the spirit of giving are highlighted amidst the festive atmosphere.

💡Gifts

Gifts are items given without expectation of payment in return, intended to show appreciation or affection. The video revolves around the concept of giving gifts, especially during Christmas, as a means of expressing love and the spirit of the holiday.

💡Platinum Fob Chain

A platinum fob chain is a type of accessory, typically made of platinum, used to carry items like pocket watches. In the script, Della purchases a platinum fob chain for James's gold watch, which is a significant and thoughtful gift that also represents her sacrifice.

💡Combs

Combs are tools used for grooming hair. In the video, the combs are the gift that James buys for Della, symbolizing his love and the desire to maintain the beauty of her hair, even though she has already sold it.

💡Tortoise Shell

Tortoise shell is a term used to describe a pattern that resembles the shell of a tortoise, often used in the design of certain items like combs. In the script, the combs that James gifts Della are described as having a beautiful tortoise shell pattern with jeweled rims, indicating their high quality and value.

💡Magi

The Magi, also known as the Three Wise Men, are figures from the Christian nativity narrative who are said to have visited the baby Jesus and presented gifts. In the video, the term is used to draw a parallel between the wise gifts of the Magi and the sacrifices made by James and Della, suggesting that their acts of love are the wisest of all.

💡Selfless Love

Selfless love is a type of love where one's own needs and desires are put aside for the benefit of the loved one. The video's theme of selfless love is embodied by James and Della's actions, where they both give up their most cherished possessions to provide for each other, showcasing the depth of their love.

Highlights

James and Della, two lovers in a small English town, faced financial struggles after getting married.

James worked as a typist with an initial salary of 50 pounds a month, which later reduced to 40 pounds due to recession.

Della had saved only 1 pound and 87 pence for Christmas, which she considered insufficient.

James and Della took great pride in two possessions - James's gold watch and Della's long brown hair.

Della decided to sell her hair to buy a Christmas gift for James, receiving 20 pounds for it.

With the money, Della bought a platinum fob chain for James's watch, costing 21 pounds.

James was shocked to see Della with short hair, as she had cut and sold it for the gift.

James revealed that he sold his gold watch to buy Della a set of expensive tortoise shell combs she had long desired.

The combs were a perfect match for Della's long hair, but she had already sold it.

Both James and Della made significant sacrifices for each other, giving up their most prized possessions.

Their selfless acts of love demonstrated the true spirit of Christmas gift-giving.

The story highlights the theme of love and sacrifice, showing that material possessions are not as valuable as the love between two people.

The couple's actions were compared to the wise men, or magi, who brought gifts for baby Jesus, suggesting their sacrifices were wise and meaningful.

The story, 'The Gift of the Magi', is a timeless tale that continues to resonate with readers for its portrayal of love and selflessness.

The narrative emphasizes the importance of giving and the power of love to overcome material loss.

James and Della's story serves as a reminder that love is the greatest gift one can give or receive.

The couple's sacrifices ultimately brought them closer together, strengthening their bond and love for each other.

Transcripts

[Music]

the gift of the magi

once upon a time in a small town in

england

there lived two lovers james and della

[Music]

who were madly in love with each other

[Music]

when college was over james got a job as

a typist in a newspaper company

with a salary of 50 pounds a month

james was ecstatic and decided to

propose to della

della i've been in love with you since

the day i saw you for the first time

and i want to be in love with you till

the end of time

i

i want to grow old with you della

will you

marry me

oh james i want to grow old with you too

yes

i will marry you

[Music]

and thus james and della were married in

a small celebration

james rented a furnished flat at eight

pounds per week

and the couple were happy and content

it seemed that their love only grew more

and more for each other

things were going well

until one day when recession struck

and james's salary shrunk to 40 pounds

[Music]

my love

we will get through this do not worry

of course my love till i have you by my

side there is nothing that can worry me

and so the husband and the wife lived a

tight life making just about enough to

meet ends

soon it was christmas eve and the

streets of london were covered in snow

the shops were decorated with lights and

the houses with christmas trees

della meanwhile went through her purse

to find how much she had saved up

[Music]

one pound and 85

86

87 pence that's all

ah

and tomorrow is christmas what do i do

this is not enough

now there were two possessions of the

couple in which they both took mighty

pride

one was james's gold watch that had been

passed on to him by his father which was

passed on to his father by his

grandfather

the other was della's hair

della's beautiful brown hair reached

below her knees and made itself almost a

garment for her

you've got to do what you've got to do

she stood up nervously and quickly as a

tear or two escaped her eyes

della wiped the tears off her face

and putting her old brown hat on

she fluttered out the door and down the

stairs to the street

a little while later she stopped near a

store

this is it

excuse me

will you buy my hair

hmm

why don't you take your hat off and let

me have a look at it

della removed her hat and down rippled

her brown hair

lifting the mask with a practiced hand

the lady gave a nod of approval

20 pound

i will take it

[Music]

in the next couple of hours della was

out and about in the streets of london

hunting for the perfect gift for james

she found it at last

it surely has been made for james and no

one else

it was a platinum fob chain simple and

chased in design

properly proclaiming its value by

substance alone and not by meritocious

ornamentation

as all good things should do

it was even worthy of the watch

without thinking anymore she paid 21

pounds for it

and hurried home with the remaining 87

pence

at seven o'clock the coffee was made and

the frying pan was on the back of the

stove

hot and ready to cook the chops

della had curled her hair in close lying

curls

which made her look like a schoolboy

at least that's what she thought

if james doesn't kill me before he takes

a second look at me he'll say i look

like a chorus girl but what could i do

oh what could i do with an

87 pence

suddenly she heard his steps on the

stairs and turned white for a moment

please god

make him think i am still pretty please

the door opened and james stepped in he

looked thin and very serious

when he looked at della he stood still

his eyes were fixed upon her and there

was an expression in them that she could

not read and it terrified her

she at once wriggled off the table and

went for him

james darling don't look at me that way

i had my hair cut off and sold because i

couldn't have lived through christmas

without giving you a present

it'll grow out again you know that

my hair grows awfully fast

but james did not reply

say merry christmas james and let's be

happy

you don't know what a nice what a

beautiful nice gift i've got for you

you've cut off your hair

yes cut it off and sold it

don't you like me just as well anyhow

i'm me without my hair aren't i

james looked at her with a straight face

don't get me wrong dale

i don't think there's anything in the

way of a haircut or a shave or a shampoo

that could make me like you any less

but if you'll unwrap that package you

may see why you had me stunned in the

first place

della tore the wrapper and when she

opened the box she let out a scream of

joy

oh wow

but her joy was only short-lived for the

gift

was a set of combs side and back the

della had warship long in a broadway

window

beautiful combs pure tortoise shell with

jeweled rims

they were expensive and her heart had

simply craved and yearned over them

without the least hope of possession

and now they were hers but the tresses

that should have adorned the coveted

adornments were gone

she hugged them tight and looked up with

teary eyes and a smile

my hair grows so fast james

and then della lept up like a little

singed cat and cried oh oh james you

have not yet seen your beautiful present

[Music]

she held it out to him eagerly upon her

open palm

[Music]

isn't it a dandy james i hunted all over

town to find it you'll have to look at

the time a hundred times a day now give

me your watch i want to see how it looks

on it

instead of obeying james tumbled down on

the couch and put his hands under the

back of his head and smiled

dell

let's put our christmas presents away

and keep them a while they're too nice

to use just at present

um what do you mean

ah

i sold the watch to get the money to buy

your combs

there was a sudden silence in the room

until james spoke again

and now suppose you put the chops on

[Music]

dela ran towards him and hugged him

tight

james hugged her back oh i love you so

much james

i love you more

[Music]

the magi as you know were wise men

wonderfully wise men who brought gifts

for baby jesus

they invented the art of giving

christmas presents

being wise their gifts were no doubt

wise ones

but the uneventful chronicle of two

lovers in an apartment in london who

most unwisely sacrificed for each other

the greatest treasures of their house

are the wisest of all

they are the magi

you