Monkey's Paw: A Story In Three Scenes (1910)

The Monkey's Paw: A Story in Three Scenes is a classic horror short story written by William Wymark Jacobs and first published in 1902. The story is set in England and revolves around the White family, who receive a mysterious monkey's paw from a friend who has just returned from India. The paw is said to have the power to grant three wishes, but at a terrible cost.In the first scene, the White family is introduced as they sit around the fireplace on a stormy night. The family friend, Sergeant-Major Morris, tells them the story of the monkey's paw and warns them not to use it. Despite his warnings, Mr. White is intrigued and asks for the paw.In the second scene, Mr. White makes his first wish for 200 pounds. The next day, his son Herbert goes to work and is killed in an accident. The family receives 200 pounds in compensation, but they realize that the wish has come at a terrible cost.In the third and final scene, Mrs. White insists that Mr. White use the paw to wish for their son to come back to life. As they hear knocking on the door, they realize that their wish has been granted. However, when they open the door, they find nothing but darkness and silence.The Monkey's Paw is a classic horror story that explores the dangers of greed and the consequences of playing with supernatural forces. It has been adapted into numerous films, plays, and other forms of media, and remains a popular and influential work of horror fiction to this day.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.