Chapter 9: The Gift of The Magi
Original notes — ready Bihar Board — BSEB • Class 9 • English • Book: Panorama Bhag-1 (Purani pustak — 2025 se pehle wali)
The Gift of The Magi — EG's own notes, in simple English
Book: Panorama Bhag-1 (Purani pustak — 2025 se pehle wali) (BSEB, Class 9) | Chapter 9 (Prose 9) | Type: Prose
This page carries Educational Galaxy's own original notes — a theme-level summary in simple English, not a copy of the textbook. No official textbook PDF is given here.
Diagram (labels are printed on the image): A young couple exchanging simple gifts in a small home. Labels are printed on the picture itself. This is a general picture, not a scene from the book.
A hair comb and a wristwatch — a general picture of the story's gifts, not a book scene.
What the chapter is about
This famous story is about a young husband and wife, Jim and Della, who are very poor but love each other deeply. It is Christmas, and each wants to buy a special gift for the other. Della has beautiful long hair, and Jim has a precious gold watch passed down in his family. Each owns one treasure — and each secretly sells that treasure to buy a gift for the other.
Della sells her hair to buy a chain for Jim's watch, and Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della's hair. When they exchange gifts, each gift is suddenly useless — yet the story calls them wise, like the Magi who brought gifts to the Christ child. The lesson teaches that the greatest gift is selfless love: giving up what you love most for someone else.
What you should learn
Selfless love — giving up what you value most for another — is the wisest gift.
Key Terms
- Magi — The wise men who, in the Christmas story, brought gifts to the Christ child.
- Sacrifice — Giving up something precious for another person.
- Selfless — Thinking of others before oneself.
- Treasure — Something very precious to a person.
- Irony — When the result is the opposite of what was expected.
Remember
- Jim and Della are poor but deeply loving.
- Della sells her hair for a watch chain.
- Jim sells his watch for hair combs.
- Each gift becomes useless, yet their love is called wise.
Exam Tip / Common Mistake
Common mistake: calling the ending only sad. Explain the irony AND the praise: their selfless love makes them the wisest gift-givers.
Chart / Table: The Two Sacrifices
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Della's treasure | Her long, beautiful hair |
| Della's gift | A chain for Jim's watch |
| Jim's treasure | His gold watch |
| Jim's gift | Combs for Della's hair |
Practice set (try on your own)
- Who are Jim and Della?
Hint: Think about a poor young couple. - What does Della sell, and why?
Hint: Think about hair and a chain. - What does Jim sell, and why?
Hint: Think about a watch and combs. - Why is the ending ironic?
Hint: Think about gifts becoming useless. - Why are they called wise like the Magi?
Hint: Think about selfless love.
Questions with Answers
- What is the story about?
It is about Jim and Della, a poor young couple who each secretly sell their most precious possession to buy a Christmas gift for the other. - What does Della sacrifice?
Della cuts and sells her beautiful long hair to buy a platinum chain for Jim's gold watch. - What does Jim sacrifice?
Jim sells his precious gold watch to buy a set of beautiful combs for Della's hair. - Why is the ending ironic?
It is ironic because each gift becomes useless at once — the chain has no watch, and the combs have no long hair to hold. - Why are Jim and Della called wise?
They are called wise because their selfless love — giving up what they valued most for each other — is the truest and wisest kind of giving.
How to use this page: First read the summary, say the key terms in your own words, then try the practice set without looking. Finally check yourself with the questions and answers. Get your answers checked by your teacher or parents.