The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs

“The Monkey’s Paw” is a 1902 speculative fiction short story by W.W. Jacobs. It is about a family who discovers a magical talisman that grants 3 wishes.

Lucky Limbs?

When I was a kid someone gave me a “lucky” rabbit’s foot. I was elated! I put it on a little chain and carried it around in my pocket for days. I tried to use it to coerce other kids into giving me things (I was really little, remember.) It didn’t work, and it only served to make loads of people angry at me. I finally decided that it wasn’t lucky at all, and I threw it away. Sure, I was unhappy about the incident, but it was nothing compared to what the man in this story goes through!

Non-spoiler Summary in a Nutshell

One cold and wet night the White family is visited by Sergeant Major Morris, who has recently returned from India. He tells them about a magical monkey’s paw that grants wishes, but in a terrible way. He tries to destroy it but the White family will have none of that – they take the evil talisman off of his hands (Ha – pun intended!) Wow, what should they wish for? They wish for what most people would wish for: money! Unfortunately they get what they ask for, and now the big question is how to use the 2 other wishes.

My Two Cents…

• A deliciously creepy and chilling story! Don’t read it if you are all alone!
• I love Greek myths that show how people can’t escape their fate. “The Monkey’s Paw” is similar, but in a much more modern and terrible way.
• While the end of the story is very cool, it did stop quite abruptly. I wish… oops – I mean I would have liked it better if the ending would have told us a little bit more.

Interesting Tidbits About This Story:

• Page Count: 8
• Word Count: 3,918
• My Rating: A-
• Learn more about British author W. W. Jacobs at The Literature Network.

Where You Can Find “The Monkey’s Paw”:

• This story first appeared in the 1902 short story collection The Lady of the Barge.
• You can read a nice free version (complete with illustrations) online at the Scary For Kids web site.

Craving More Stories?

If you liked “The Monkey’s Paw” then you might also enjoy The Colour Out Of Space by H.P. Lovecraft – about a meteorite that falls from the sky in the 1880′s and the devastating consequences it has upon the people in a rural New England town.

Subscribe to BestScienceFictionStories.com