The Gift of the Magi（麦琪的礼物）

Jim Dillingham Young and his wife Della are a young couple who are very much in love with each other, but can barely afford their one-room apartment opposite the elevated train due to their very bad economic condition. For Christmas, Della decides to buy Jim a chain which costs twenty dollars for his prized pocket watch given to him by his father. To raise the funds, she has her prized long hair cut off and sold to make a wig. Meanwhile, Jim decides to sell his watch to buy Della a beautiful set of combs made out of tortoise shell for her lovely, knee-length brown hair. Although each is disappointed to find the gift they chose rendered useless, each is pleased with the gift they received, because it represents their love for one another.

The true unselfish love that the characters, Jim and Della, share is greater than their possessions.

欧·亨利（O.Henry 1862～1910年），原名：威廉·西德尼·波特（WilliamSydneyPorter）：世界著名 的短篇小说家。他的一生富于传奇性，当过药房学徒、牧牛人、会计员、土地局办事员、新闻记者、银行出纳员。他的创作紧随莫泊桑和契诃夫之后，而又独树一帜。曾被评论界誉为曼哈顿桂冠散文作家和美国现代短篇小说之父。他的作品有“美国生活的百科全书”之誉。