Chapter 1 — The Best Christmas Present in the World

The story is written by Michael Morpurgo, as stated at the end of the text in the NCERT Honeydew textbook.

The narrator spots a roll-top desk described as early nineteenth century and made of oak. It is in a bad condition — the roll-top is in several pieces, one leg is clumsily mended, and there are scorch marks down one side.

Inside the secret drawer the narrator finds a small black tin box. Sello-taped to its top is a piece of lined notepaper in shaky handwriting reading: 'Jim's last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.' Inside the box is an envelope addressed to Mrs Jim Macpherson, 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport, Dorset, containing a letter dated December 26, 1914.

Jim Macpherson is Captain Jim Macpherson, a school teacher from Dorset, in the west of England, who is serving as a soldier during World War I.

According to Jim's letter, on Christmas morning someone saw a white flag waving from the German trenches opposite. The Germans then called out 'Happy Christmas, Tommy!' across no man's land. The British shouted back 'Same to you, Fritz!' A German soldier climbed up waving a white flag, others followed, and eventually both sides crossed no man's land unarmed.

Hans Wolf is a German officer from Dusseldorf. In civilian life he plays the cello in an orchestra. He speaks almost perfect English, his favourite writer is Thomas Hardy, and his favourite book is Far from the Madding Crowd. He had a wife and a son born just six months earlier. Despite knowing England well from books, he had never actually set foot there.

They crossed no man's land unarmed, shared schnapps, sausage, rum, and Connie's Christmas cake. They talked, smoked, laughed and ate together. Someone brought out a football and the soldiers played a match — Tommy against Fritz — with greatcoats as goalposts. Fritz won two goals to one. That night the Germans sang 'Stille Nacht' (Silent Night) and the British responded with 'While Shepherds Watched', exchanging carols for a while before falling silent.

Hans Wolf tells Jim: 'I think this is how we should resolve this war. A football match. No one dies in a football match. No children are orphaned. No wives become widows.' Jim replies he would prefer cricket, so the Tommies could be sure of winning.

Connie Macpherson is Jim's wife. By the time the narrator visits her she is 101 years old. Her original house at 12 Copper Beeches, Bridport, has burned down, and she is living in Burlington House Nursing Home on the Dorchester road. She is described as a bit muddle-headed. When the narrator opens the tin box and gives it to her, her eyes light up with recognition. She mistakes the narrator for Jim and says: 'You told me you'd come home by Christmas, dearest. And here you are, the best Christmas present in the world.'

The note reads: 'Jim's last letter, received January 25, 1915. To be buried with me when the time comes.' The phrase 'last letter' and the instruction to be buried with her suggest that Jim never returned from the war and that Connie kept the letter all her life as her most treasured possession.

No man's land is the open ground between the two opposing armies' trenches. In the story, this is where the British and German soldiers meet during the Christmas truce of 1914, walking toward each other across it unarmed.

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