The Monkey’s Paw

During a blizzard, veteran Sergeant Major Tom Morris sits with John and Jenny White in their home and begins telling stories of his travels to India and the mysterious monkey's paw. He explains that the paw grants three wishes but warns that the wishes come with grave consequences. The tale sets the evening's mood as a warning about meddling with fate.

Tom recounts that the paw comes from a Hindu fakir and that Nura used it to find love, only to have tragedy follow. He emphasizes that power to change fate can bring ruin rather than happiness.

Tom shows the paw to the Whites to illustrate its power and reiterates his warnings before preparing to leave. He leaves them with the uneasy sense that desire can invite danger.

As Tom prepares to depart, John slips the paw from his coat and confesses that he stole it as a joke. He tells Jenny and himself that he doesn't believe the paw will bring any harm. The banter underscores a casual contempt for the supernatural.

John's later comments reveal that the other family members treat the paw as a harmless oddity, and Herbert leaves for his night shift at the electrical plant. They joke about the paw, not suspecting the danger it holds.

That night, John makes a wish with the paw for £200 to buy a house for Herbert and Rose, thinking the gesture will benefit others. He assumes the risk won't touch him or their family, believing the wish will be harmless.

Next morning, Mr. Samson, a lawyer, arrives and explains that while everyone was laughing about the paw, Herbert died after losing his balance and falling into machinery. He reveals that the insurance payout is £200, deepening the family’s grief and guilt.

Following Herbert's funeral, Jenny and Rose rebuke John for his wish and confront the consequences of their reckless experimentation with the paw. The family grapples with guilt and fear that the paw's power has already brought tragedy.

Desperate to reverse the harm, Jenny uses the paw to wish for Herbert to come back to life, hoping to undo the loss. The tension builds as the family waits for a sign of Herbert's return.

They hear a knock at the door and believe it must be Herbert returning; John realizes that bringing Herbert back could leave him mutilated by the accident. In a panic, he wishes Herbert dead again before Jenny can answer.

Moments later, no one is at the door when Jenny opens it, and the house remains eerily quiet. The sense of dread dissipates, leaving the family to confront what almost happened.

John wakes up and realizes that the entire sequence was a dream. He breathes a sigh of relief, trying to untangle what was real and what was imagined.

However, in the real world, Herbert has been promoted to supervisor at the electrical plant and is planning to marry Rose. The ending offers a hopeful contrast to the nightmare, implying that life continues with opportunity rather than tragedy.