The Monkey's Paw

The Monkey's Paw is a horror story written by English author W. W. Jacobs in 1902. An incredible number of stories in different media have played on it through different variations and adaptations, and it is a subject of frequent parody.

The story begins as Mr. and Mrs. White, average people with a grown son named Herbert, are visited by an old friend of theirs who was a sergeant in India. While there, he got a magical talisman in the form of a mummified monkey's paw, said to grant three wishes to whoever possesses it.

Having no desire to keep the paw, he (reluctantly) gives it to the Whites, first warning them that its previous owners killed themselves for their third wish. Too excited by its mystical powers, Mr. White first wishes for £200. He gets his wish, but at a horrible price. The story continues this way until the most dramatic moment, and they learn their lesson: don't tempt fate, and Be Careful What You Wish For.