May be Russian, but each person sacrificed what they cared about most to buy the other a gift, she cut off her long hair to sell it to buy him a gift and he sacrificed something he treasured to buy her a barette for her admired beautiful long hair of many years
2006-07-22 05:57:04 · 10 answers · asked by Margaret C 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
This is a Christmas story, "The Gift of the Magi," by O. Henry, pseudonym for William Sidney Porter, one of America's best known short-story writers. His stories are usually fairly brief and almost always end with a twist. This one, of course, refers to the three wise men, or magi, who brought gifts to the Christ child of the New Testament. Except the story is not about these magi, but two modern counterparts of them.
In this one a loving couple make sacrifices in order to have funds to buy each other Christmas gifts they each will treasure. The girl has her long, beautiful hair cut and sold; the guy sells his prized possession, a gold wrist watch. But the gift he buys for her is a set of combs for her long hair, and the gift she buys for him is a gold chain for his watch. That's the twist. The story concludes with this moral:
"The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi."
Along with Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory," this is probably the short story most frequently read aloud to families and classes during the Christmas season.
2006-07-22 06:25:10 · answer #1 · answered by bfrank 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Gift of the Magi, by O Henry
2006-07-23 03:04:47 · answer #2 · answered by Bella 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gift of the Magi by Orin Henry.
2006-07-22 06:00:12 · answer #3 · answered by Snickles 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's all just a matter of personal preference. We have short hair and guys like it. And i prefer a guy with short hair over a man with long hair because long tresses tends to make guys look as well girly.
2017-01-17 09:10:42 · answer #4 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The gift of magi...by O.henry. the girl cuts off and sells her hair to buy a chain for her husband's watch, and he seels his watch to buy something for her beautiful hair.
2006-07-22 19:59:47 · answer #5 · answered by S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have short tresses for the first time since We was 10 years old and I really like it but I skip my long curly locks so Now i'm growing it back out!
2017-02-25 19:52:35 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I used to buy from http://www.luxurysell.net/
2014-06-19 15:34:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't remeber the name either but I believe it is by O' Henry
2006-07-22 06:03:04 · answer #8 · answered by CuriousCat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what was the name of the movie like this?
2014-12-14 06:58:34 · answer #9 · answered by ROBERT 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i love that story!!! the others answered it so i won't bother...
2006-07-22 06:44:01 · answer #10 · answered by constanze_mylove 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋