The

Monkey’s Paw
W. W. Jacobs

retold by
D iane M ow at

O X F O R D U N I V E R S I T Y PRESS
 Chapter 1

t was cold and dark out in the road and the rain did

I not stop for a m inute. But in the little living-room o f

number 12 C astle R oad it was nice and warm . Old M r
W hite and his son, H erbert, played chess and M rs
W hite sat and w atched them . T h e old wom an was
happy because her husband and her son were good
friends and they liked to be together. ‘H erbert’s a good
son ,’ she thought. 'W e waited a long tim e for him and 1
was nearly forty when he was born, but we are a happy
fam ily.’ And old M rs W hite smiled.
It was true. H erbert was young and he laughed a lot,
but his m other and his father laughed with him. They
had not got much m oney, but they were a very happy
little family.
The tw o men did not talk because they played
carefully. T h e room was quiet, but the noise o f the rain
was worse now and they could hear it on the windows.
Suddenly old M r W hite looked up. ‘Listen to the rain !’
he said.
‘ Yes, it’s a bad n ight,’ H erbert answ ered, i t ’s not a
good night to be out. But is your friend, T om M orris,
com ing tonigh t?’

1
T he M onkey's Paw
 T he M onkey's Paw

'Y es, th at’s right. H e’s com ing at about seven

o ’clo ck ,’ the old man said. ‘ But perhaps this rain . . .’
M r W hite did n ot finish because just then the young
man heard a noise.
‘L isten!’ H erbert said. ‘T h ere’s som eone at the door
now .’
‘I didn’t hear a n oise,’ his father answered, but he
got up from his chair and w ent to open the front door.
M rs W hite got up too and began to put things away.
M r W hite said, ‘C om e in, com e in, T o m . It’s
wonderful to see you again. W h at a bad night! Give me
your co at and then com e into the living-room . It’s nice
and warm in th ere.’
The front door was open, and in the living-room
Mrs W hite and H erbert felt the cold. Then M r W hite
cam e back into the living-room with a big, red-faced
man.
T h is is T o m M o rris,’ M r W hite told his wife and
son. ‘W e were friends when we were young. W e
worked together before T o m w ent to India. T o m , this
is my wife and this is our son, H erbert.’
‘ Pleased to m eet you ,’ T o m M orris said.
‘Pleased to meet you, M r M o rris,’ M rs W hite
answered. ‘Please com e and sit d o w n .’
‘ Yes, com e on, T o m ,’ M r W hite said. ‘O ver here. It’s
nice and w arm .’

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 T he M on key ’s Paw

‘T h an k you ,’ the big m an answered and he sat down.

‘Let’s have som e w hisky,’ old M r W hite said. ‘ You
need som ething to warm you on a cold night.’ He got
out a bottle o f whisky and the tw o old friends began to
drink and talk. T h e little fam ily listened with interest
to this visitor from far away and he told them many
strange stories.

Chapter 2

ter som e tim e T om M orris stopped talking and

vlr W hite said to his wife and son, ‘T o m was a
soldier in India for tw enty-one years. India is a
wonderful co u n try .’
‘Y es,’ H erbert said. ‘I’d like to go there.’
‘O h , H erb ert!’ his m other cried. She was afraid
because she did n ot w ant to lose her son.
‘I wanted to go to India to o ,’ her husband said,
‘b u t . . . ’
‘It’s better for you h ere!’ the soldier said quickly.
‘But you saw a lot o f strange and wonderful things in
India. I w ant to see them too one d ay,’ M r W hite said.
T h e soldier put down his whisky. ‘N o !’ he cried.
‘Stay h ere!’
Old M r W hite did n ot stop. ‘But your stories were
 The M onkey's Paw

som e whisky,' old Mr White said.

 The M on key ’s Paw

interesting,’ he said to T om M orris. ‘W hat did you

begin to say ab o u t a m onkey’s paw ?’
‘N o th in g !’ M orris answ ered quickly. ‘W ell . . .
nothing im p o rtan t.’
‘A m onkey’s paw ?’ M rs W hite said.
‘C om e o n , M r M orris! Tell us abo u t it,’ H erbert
said.
M orris to ok his whisky in his hand, but suddenly he
put it down again. Slowly he put his hand into the
pocket o f his co at and the W hite fam ily watched him.
‘W hat is it? W h at is it?’ M rs W hite cried.
M orris said nothing. He to ok his hand out o f his
pocket. T h e W hite fam ily w atched carefully - and in
the soldier’s hand they saw som ething little and dirty.
M rs W hite moved back , afraid, but her son, H erbert,
took it and looked at it carefully.
‘W ell, w hat is it?’ M r W hite asked his friend.
‘Look at it,’ the soldier answ ered. ‘ It’s a little paw
. . . a m onkey’s p aw .’
‘A m onkey’s p aw !’ H erbert said - and he laughed.
‘Why do you carry a m onkey’s paw in your pocket, M r
M orris?’ he asked the old soldier.
‘W ell, you see,’ M orris said, ‘this m onkey’s paw is
m agic!’
H erbert laughed again, but the soldier said, ‘D o n ’t
laugh, boy. R em em ber, you ’re young. I’m old now and

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 T he M on key ’s Paw

Herbert look ed carefully at the m on key’s paw

The M on key ’s Paw
 T he M onkey's Paw

in India I saw many strange tilings.' He stopped talking

for a minute and then he said, ‘T h is m onkey’s paw can
do strange and w onderful things. An old Indian gave
the paw to one o f my friends. M y friend was a soldier
too. This paw is m agic because it can give three wishes
to three people.’
‘W ond erful!’ H erbert said.
‘But these three wishes d on ’t bring happiness,’
the soldier said. ‘T h e old Indian wanted to teach
us som ething - it’s never good to w ant to change
things.’
‘W ell, did your friend have three w ishes?’ H erbert
asked the old soldier.
‘Y es,’ M orris answered quietly. ‘And his third and
last wish was to d ie!’
M r and M rs W hite listened to the story and they felt
afraid, but H erbert asked, ‘And did he die?’
‘Yes, he did,’ M orris said. ‘He had no fam ily, so his
things cam e to me when he died. T h e m onkey’s paw
was with his things, but he told me abo u t it before he
died,’ T o m M orris finished quietly.
‘W hat were his first tw o wishes, then?’ H erbert
asked. ‘W h at did he ask fo r?’
‘I don’t know . He didn’t w ant to tell m e,’ the soldier
answered.
For a m inute o r tw o everybody was quiet, but then

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 T he M onkey's Paw

H erb ert said , ‘A nd you , M r M o rris: did you have rhrec

w ish es?’
‘Yes, I did,’ M orris answ ered. ‘I was young. I wanted
many things - a fast car, m oney . . .’ M orris stopped
for a minute and then he said with difficulty, ‘M y wife
and my young son died in an accident in the car.
W ithout them I didn’t w ant the m oney, so, in the end, I
wished to lose it. But it was to o late. M y wife and my
child were dead.’
The room w as very quiet. T h e W hite family looked
at the unhappy face o f the old soldier.
Then M r W h ite said, ‘W hy do you w ant the paw
now? You d on ’t need it. You can give it to som eone.’
‘How can 1 give it to som eone?’ the soldier said. ‘The
m onkey’s paw brings unhappiness with it.’
‘W ell, give it to m e,’ M r W hite said. ‘Perhaps this
tim e it . . .’
‘N o !’ T o m M orris cried. ‘Y o u ’re my friend. 1 ca n ’t
give it to y ou .’ T h en , after a m inute, he said, ‘1 can ’t give
it to you, but, o f course you can tak e it from me. But
rem em ber - this m onkey’s paw brings unhappiness!’
Old M r W hite did n ot listen and he did not think.
Q uickly, he put out his hand, and he took the paw.
Tom M orris looked unhappy, but M r W hite did not
want to w ait.
‘W h at do 1 do n ow ?’ he asked his friend.

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 The M on key ’s Paw

T h e m on key’s paw brings unhappiness with it.

T he M on key ’s Paw
 The M on key ’s Pa tv

‘Yes, com e o n, F ath er,' H erbert said. ‘M ake a w ish!’

And he laughed.
T he soldier said nothing and M r W hite asked him
again, ‘W h at do I do n ow ?’
At first the old soldier did not answ er, but in the end
he said quietly, ‘O K . But rem em ber! Be careful! Think
before you m ake your w ish.’
‘Yes, yes,’ M r W hite said.
‘T ak e the paw in your right hand and then m ake
your wish, but . . T o m M orris began.
‘Yes, we k now ,’ H erbert said. ‘Be carefu l!’
Ju st then old M rs W hite stood up and she began to
get the dinner. H er husband looked at her. Then he
smiled and said to her, ‘C om e on. Help me! W h at can I
wish for? W e need m oney, o f co u rse.’
M rs W hite laughed, but she thought for a m inute
and then she said, ‘W ell, I’m getting old now and
som etim es it’s difficult to do everything. Perhaps I need
four hands and not tw o. Yes, ask the paw to give me
two m ore hand s.’
‘O K , th en ,’ her husband said, and he took the
m onkey’s paw in his right hand. Everybody watched
him and for a m inute he w aited. Then he opened his
mouth to m ake his wish.
Suddenly T om M orris stood up. ‘D o n ’t do it!’ he
cried.

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 The M on key ’s Pate

T h e old soldier’s face was whire. H erbert and his

m other laughed, but M r W hite looked at T o m ’s face.
Old M r W hite was afraid and he put the m onkey’s
paw into his pocket.
After a m inute o r tw o they sat down at the table and
began to have dinner. T h e soldier told the family many
strange and w onderful stories about India. They forgot
the m onkey’s paw , and because the soldier’s stories
were interesting, they asked him many questions about
India. W hen T om M orris stood up to leave, it was very
late.
‘Thank you for a very nice evening,’ M orris said to
the fam ily. ‘And thank you for a very good dinner,’ he
said to M rs W hite.
‘It was a wonderful evening for us, T o m ,’ old M r
W hite answered. ‘ Y ou r stories were very interesting.
O ur life isn’t very exciting and we d o n 't have the
money to visit India, so please com e again soon. You
can tell us som e m ore stories abo u t In dia.’
Then the old soldier put on his coat. He said
goodbye to the W hite fam ily, and w ent o u t into the
rain.

I
 T he M on key’s Paw

The soldier told the fam ily many stories about India.

15
 Chapter 3

t was nearly m idnight. In their w arm living-room ,

I the tw o old people and their son sat and talked

about the soldier’s stories.
‘India is a w onderful co u n try ,’ M r W hite said. ‘W hat
exciting stories! It was a good evening.’
M rs W hite stood up to take som e things into the
kitchen, but she stopped and listened to H erbert and
his father.
‘Y es,’ H erbert said. ‘M orris told som e interesting
stories, but, o f course, som e o f them w eren’t tru e.’
‘O h H erb ert!’ M rs W h ite said.
‘W ell, M o th er, th at story about the m onkey’s paw
wasn’t true. A dirty little m onkey’s paw isn’t m agic!
But it was a good story .’ And H erbert smiled.
‘W ell, I think you ’re right, H erb ert,’ his m other said.
‘ I don’t k now ,’ M r W hite said quietly. ‘Perhaps the
story was true. Strange things can happen som etim es.’
M rs W hite looked at her husband. ‘Did you give
some money to T o m M orris for th at paw ?’ she asked.
‘W e don’t have money to give away for noth in g!’ M rs
W hite was angry now .
‘W ell, yes,’ her husband answ ered. ‘ I did, but not

16
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 T he M on key ’s Paw

‘Perhaps Che story was true. ’

much, and at first he didn’t w ant to take it. He wanted

the m onkey’s paw .’
‘W ell, he ca n ’t have it,’ H erbert laughed. ‘ It’s our
paw now and w e’re going to be rich and happy. C om e
on, Father. M ake a w ish !’
Old M r W hite to o k the paw from his pocket. ‘O K ,
H erbert, but w hat am I going to ask for? I have
everything - you, your m other. W h at do I need?’
‘ M oney, o f co u rse,’ H erbert answered quickly. ‘W e
need m oney! Y o u ’ re alw ays thinking about money.
T h a t’s because we haven’t got very much o f it. W ith
money you can pay for this house. It can be your
house! Go on, Father, wish for thirty thousand
pounds!’

17
 T he M on key ’s Paw

7 wish fo r £30,000.'

H erbert stopped talking and his old father thought

for a m inute. T h e room was quiet and they could hear
the rain on the w indow s.
Then M r W hite took the m onkey’s paw in his right
hand. He was afraid, but he looked at his wife and she
smiled at him.
‘G o o n ,’ she said.
Slowly and carefully M r W hite said, ‘ 1 wish for
thirty thousand pounds.’
Suddenly he gave a cry and M rs W hite and H erbert
ran to him.
‘W h at’s the m atter, F ath er?’ H erbert asked.
‘It m oved!’ M r W h ite cried. ‘T h e m onkey’s paw - it
m oved!’

18
 The M on key’s Paw

They looked at the paw . It was now on the floor and

not in the old m an’s hand. T h e family watched it, and
they waited - but it did not m ove again.
So the little family sat down again and they waited.
N othing happened. T h e noise o f the rain on the
windows was w orse now and their little living-room
did not feel nice and w arm .
M rs W hite said, i t ’s cold. L et’s go to bed.’
M r W hite did not answ er and in the end H erbert
said, ‘W ell, there’s no m oney, Father. Y ou r friend’s
story w asn’t tru e.’ But M r W hite did not answ er. He
sat quietly and said nothing.
After som e tim e M rs W hite said to her husband,
‘Are you O K ?’
‘Y es, yes,’ the old man a n sw e re d ,‘but for a minute
or tw o I was a fraid .’
‘W ell, we needed th at m oney,’ M rs W hite said, ‘but
we aren’t going to get it. I’m tired. I’m going to bed.’
After M rs W hite w ent to bed, the tw o men sat and
smoked for som e tim e.
Then H erbert said, ‘W ell, Father, I’m going to bed
too. Perhaps the m oney is in a bag under your bed!
G oodnight, F a th er.’ And H erbert laughed and went
out o f the room .
Old M r W hite sat in the cold living-room for a long
time. T h e candle died and it was dark. Suddenly, the

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 The M onkey's Taw

Suddenly, he saw a face at the window.

old man saw a face at the window . Q u ickly, he looked

again, but there was nothing there. He felt afraid.
Slowly he stood up and left the cold, dark room .

Chapter 4

T
he n ext m orning the w inter sun cam e through the
window and the house felt nice and warm again.
M r W hite felt better and he smiled at his wife and son.
The family sat down to have breakfast and they began
to talk about the day. T h e m onkey’s paw was on a

20
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 T he M onkey's Paw

‘I'm going to w ork,' Herbert said.

little table near the w indow , but nobody looked at it

and nobody thought abo u t it.
‘I’m going to the shops this m orning,’ M rs W hite
said. ‘I w ant to get som ething nice for dinner. Are you
going to com e with m e?’ she asked her husband.
‘N o, I’m going to have a quiet m orning. I’m going to
read,’ her husband answered.
‘W ell, I’m not going to go out this evening,’ H erbert
said, ‘so we can go to bed early tonight. W e were very
late last n ight.’
‘And we aren ’t going to have stories about m onkeys’
paw s!’ M rs W hite said. She was angry. ‘W hy did we

21
 The M onkey's Paw

listen to your friend?’ she asked her husband. ‘A

m onkey’s paw ca n ’t give you th ings!’ She stopped but
the tw o men did not answ er her. T h ir ty thousand
pounds!’ she said quietly. 'W e needed that m oney.’
Ju st then H erbert looked at the clock and stood up.
‘I’m going to w o rk ,’ he said. ‘ Perhaps the postm an has
got the m oney for you in a letter. Rem em ber, I w ant
some o f it to o !’ H erbert laughed and his m other
laughed to o .
‘D o n ’t laugh, so n ,’ M r W hite said. ‘T om M orris is
an old friend and he thinks the story is true. Perhaps
it is.’
‘W ell, leave som e o f the m oney for m e,’ H erbert
laughed again.
His m other laughed too and she w ent to the door
with him.
‘G ood bye, M o th e r,’ H erbert said happily. ‘G et
som ething nice for dinner this evening at the shops. I’m
always hungry after a day at w o rk .’
‘I know you a re !’ M rs W hite answered.
H erbert left the house and walked quickly down the
road. H is m other stood at the d oor for som e tim e and
watched him . T h e w inter sun was w arm , but suddenly
she felt very cold.
T he M onkey's Paw
 Chapter 5

S
lowly, old M rs W hite w ent back into the house.
H er husband looked up and saw som ething strange
in her face.
'W h a t’s the m atter?’ he asked.
‘N othin g,’ his wife answ ered, and she sat down to
finish her breakfast. She began to think about T om
M orris again and suddenly she said to her husband,
‘Your friend drank a lot o f whisky last night! A
m onkey’s paw ! W h at a sto ry !’
M r W hite did n ot answ er her because just then the
postm an arrived. He brought tw o letters for them —
but there was no m oney in them . A fter breakfast the
tw o old people forgot abo u t the m oney and the
m onkey’s paw.
Later in the day, a t ab o u t one o ’clo ck , M r and M rs
W hite sat down to eat and then they began to talk
about m oney again. They did n ot have very much
money, so they often needed to talk about it.
‘T h a t thirty thousand pounds,’ M rs W hite said, ‘we
need it!’
‘But it didn’t com e this m ornin g,’ her husband
answered. ‘L et’s forget it!’

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 7 he M onkey's Paw

Then he said, ‘But that thing moved. The m onkey’s

paw moved in my hand! T o m ’s story was tru e!’
‘ You drank a lot o f whisky last night. Perhaps the
paw didn’t m ove,’ M rs W hite answ ered.
‘It m oved!’ M r W h ite cried angrily.
At first his wife did n ot answ er, but then she said,
‘W ell, H erbert laughed about it . . .’
Suddenly she stopped talking. She stood up and
went over to the window .
‘W h at’s the m atter?’ her husband asked.
‘T h ere’s a man in front o f our h ou se,’ M rs W hite
answered. ‘H e’s a stranger —very t a ll - a n d well dressed.
 T he M onkey's Taw

Can I com e in and talk to you?

 The M on key ’s Paw

He’s looking at our house . . . O h , no . . . it’s O K . . .

H e’s going away . .
‘C om e and sit dow n! Finish eatin g !’ M r W hite said.
T h e old w om an did not listen to her husband. “He
isn’t going aw ay ,’ she went on. “H e’s com ing back. I
don’t know him — he’s a stranger. Y es, he’s very well
dressed . . .’ Suddenly M rs W hite stopped. She was
very excited. ‘ H e’s com ing to the d oor . . . Perhaps he’s
bringing the m on ey!’
And she ran out o f the room to open the front door.
The tall, well-dressed stranger stood there. For a
minute he said nothing, but then he began, ‘G ood
afternoon. I’m looking for M r and M rs W h ite.’
‘W ell, I’m M rs W h ite,’ the old w om an answered.
‘W hat can 1 do for you ?’
At first the stranger did n ot answ er, but then he said,
‘M rs W hite, I’m from M aw and M eggins. Can I com e
in and talk to you ?’
M aw and M eggins had a big factory and H erbert
W hite w orked there on the m achinery.
‘Yes, o f co u rse,’ M rs W hite answ ered. ‘Please com e
in.’
T h e well-dressed stranger cam e into the little living-
room and M r W hite stood up.
‘Are you M r W h ite?’ the stranger began. Then he
went on, ‘I ’m from M aw and M eggins.’

27
 The M on key ’s Paw

M rs W hite looked at the stranger and she thought,

‘Perhaps he has the m oney . . . but why M aw and
M eggins? And his face is very unhappy . . . Why?"
Suddenly the old wom an was afraid.
‘Please sit d o w n ,’ M r W hite began, but now his wife
could not wait.
‘W h at’s the m atter?’ she cried. ‘Is H erbert . . She
could not finish the question.
T h e stranger did n ot look at their faces — and M r
W hite began to be afraid too.
‘Please, tell us!’ he said.
‘I’m very sorry ,’ the man from M aw and M eggins
began. He stopped for a m inute and then he began
again, i ’m very sorry, but this m orning there was an
accident at the factory . . .’
‘W h at’s the m atter? Is H erbert O K ? ’ M rs W hite
cried again.
‘W ell . . . ’ the man began slowly.
i s he in hosp ital?’ the old w om an asked, very afraid
now.
‘ Yes, but . . .’ the stranger looked at M rs W h ite’s
face and stopped.
i s he dead? Is H erbert dead?’ M r W hite asked
quietly.
‘D ead!’ M rs W hite cried. ‘O h no . . . please . . . not
dead! N o t H erbert! N o t our so n !’

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 The M on key ’s Paw

Suddenly the old w om an stopped because she saw

the stranger’s face. T h en the tw o old people knew.
T h eir son was dead! Old M rs W hite began to cry
quietly and M r W hite put his arm round her.
Som e tim e later the man from M aw and M eggins
said, ‘ It was the m achinery — an accident. H erbert
called, “ H elp !” . T h e men heard him — and ran to him
quickly, but they could do nothing. T h e n ext m inute he
was in the m achinery. I’m very, very sorry ,’ he finished.
For a m inute o r tw o the room was quiet. At last M rs
W hite said, ‘O u r son! D ead! W e’re never going to see
him again. W hat are we going to do w ithout him ?’
Her husband said, ‘H e was our son. W e loved h im .’

'This morning there was an accident at the factory . . . ’

29
 T he M on key ’s Paw

‘Maw and Meggins want to help you at this unhappy time. ’

Then M rs W hite asked the stranger, ‘Can we see

him? Can we see our son? Please take me to him. I
w ant to see my son .'
But the stranger answ ered quickly, ‘ N o !’ he said.
‘It’s better not to see him . They cou ldn’t stop the
m achinery quickly. He was in there for a long tim e.
And at first they cou ld n ’t get him out. He was . . The
man stopped. T h en he said, ‘D o n ’t go to see h im !’
Th e stranger w ent over to the window because he
did not w ant to see the faces o f the tw o old people. H e
said nothing, but he stood there for som e tim e and he
waited.
Then he w ent back to the old people and began to

30
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 The M onkey's Pan’

calk again. ‘T h ere’s one m ore thing,’ he said. ‘Y ou r son

worked for M aw and M eggins for six years and he was
a good w orker. N ow M aw and M eggins w ant to help
you at this unhappy tim e.’ Again the stranger stopped.
After a m inute he began again. ‘ M aw and M eggins
want to give you som e m oney.’ Then he put som ething
into M r W h ite’s hand.
Old M r W hite did n ot look at the money in his hand.
Slowly he stood up and looked at the stranger, afraid.
‘Howr m uch?’ M r W h ite asked, very quietly. He did not
want to hear the answ er.
‘Thirty thousand pounds,’ the stranger said.

Chapter 6

hree days later, in the big, new cem etery tw o miles

from their house, the tw o old people said goodbye
to their dead son. T h en they w ent back to their dark,
old house. They did n ot w ant to live w ithout H erbert,
but they waited for som ething good to happen,
som ething to help them . The days w ent by very slowly.
Som etim es they did n ot talk because there was nothing
to say w ithout H erbert. And so the days felt very long.
T h en , one night, ab o u t a week later, M rs W hite got
out o f bed because she could not sleep. She sat by the

31
T he M onkey's Paw
 T he M onkey's Paw

window and she w atched and waited for her son. He

did not com e and she began to cry quietly.
In the dark her husband heard her and he called,
‘Com e back to bed. It’s cold out th ere.’
‘It’s colder for my so n ,’ his wife answered. ‘H e’s out
there in the cold cem etery.’
M rs W hite did not go back to bed, but M r W hite
was old and tired and the bed was w arm . So, in the
end, he w ent to sleep again. Suddenly he heard a cry
from his wife.
‘T h e p aw !’ she cried. ‘T h e m onkey’s p aw !’ She cam e
back to the bed and stood there.
‘W hat is it? W h a t’s the m atter?’ M r W hite cried. He
sat up in bed. ‘W h at’s the m atter?’ he thought. 'W hy is
she excited? W h at’s she talking ab o u t?’ He looked at
his wife.
H er face was very w hite in the dark. ‘1 w ant it,’ she
said quietly, ‘and you ’ve got it! Give it to me! Please!’
‘W h a t?’ M r W hite asked.
‘T h e m onkey’s paw ,’ M rs W hite said. ‘W here is it?’
‘It’s d ow n stairs,’ M r W hite answ ered. ‘W hy?’
M rs W hite hegan to laugh and cry. ‘W e can have
two m ore w ish es!’ she cried. ‘W e had one — but there
are tw o m o re !’
‘O h, no! N o t again! T h in k , w o m an !’ M r W hite
cried. But M rs W h ite did n ot listen.

33
 The M onkey's Paw

'The monkey's paw ! We can have two m ore wishes!'

‘Q u ickly,’ she said. ‘G o and get the paw. W e’re

going to wish for our boy to com e back to us!’
‘N o !’ M r W hite cried. ‘Y o u ’re m ad !’
‘Get it! G et it q u ick ly !’ M rs W hite cried again.
M r W hite said again, ‘T h in k , w om an! T hink! O u r
boy was in the m achinery for a long tim e. They didn’t
w ant to show him to us! T h in k ! D o you w ant to see his
body?’
‘Y es! H e’s my son. I’m n ot afraid o f him !’ she
answered.
‘You d on ’t understand,’ M r W hite said sadly, but he
went dow nstairs to look for the m onkey’s paw.
In the living-room it was dark and M r W hite did not
have a candle. Slow ly, he w ent across the room and he
 T he M onkey's Paw

7 wish fo r my son, Herbert, to com e back to us.’

put out his hand for the m onkey’s paw . He touched it,
and quickly to o k his hand away again.
‘N o !’ he thought. ‘I can ’t! I d on ’t w ant to see
H erbert! H is face — after he was in the m achinery . . .
n o !’
Then he thought abo u t his wife — and he put out his
hand and to ok the paw.
In the bedroom his wife w aited. She saw the paw in
M r W h ite’s hand and cried, ‘Q u ick! M ak e the w ish !’
‘I can ’t ,’ M r W hite answ ered. ‘R em em ber - he died
in the m achinery!’
‘M ake the wish! I’m n ot afraid o f my own so n !’ M rs
W hite cried again.
M r W hite looked sadly at his wife, but he to ok the

35
 T he M onkey's Paw

paw in his right hand and said slow ly, i wish for my
son, H erbert, to com e back to us.’ T hen he sat down in
the nearest chair.
But M rs W hite w ent over to the window and looked
out into the road. She stayed there for a long time and
she did n ot move. N othing happened. The m onkey’s
paw could not do it!
‘T h an k G o d !’ M r W hite said, and he went back to
bed.
Soon M rs W hite w ent to bed too.

Chapter 7

B
ut they did not sleep. They waited and they
listened. In the end M r W hite got up to get a
candle because the dark made him m ore afraid. He
began to go dow nstairs, but suddenly he heard a noise
at the front door. He stopped, and he listened. He
could n ot m ove. Then the noise cam e again. T his time
he ran. He ran upstairs, back into the bedroom and he
closed the door behind him . But again the noise cam e.
‘W h at’s th a t?’ M rs W hite cried, and she sat up in
bed.
‘N othing! G o to sleep a g ain !’ her husband answered.
But M rs W h ite listened - and the noise cam e again.

36
i
 The M onkey's Paw

The paw!' Mr White thought. 'Where's the m on key’s paw?

 The M on key ’s Paw

‘It’s H erbert! It’s H erb ert!’ she cried. ‘I’m going to

open the d oor for him .’
And she got out o f bed and ran to the d oor o f the
bedroom . M r W hite got there first and stopped her.
‘N o !’ he cried. ‘T h in k !’
‘ But it’s my boy! It’s H erb ert,’ she answered.
‘N o! D o n ’t go! D o n ’t . . .’ her husband cried again.
But M rs W hite did n o t listen to him. She opened the
bedroom d oor and ran from the room . ‘I’m com ing,
H erbert. I'm co m in g !’ she called.
M r W hite ran after her. ‘S to p !’ he cried. ‘Rem em ber,
H erbert died in the m achinery! You don’t w ant to see
h im !’
For a m inute M rs W hite stopped and looked at her
husband, but then the noise cam e again and she began
to run dow nstairs.
‘Help me! H elp m e!’ she called to her husband.
But M r W hite did n ot m ove. ‘T h e p aw !’ he thought.
‘W here’s the m onkey’s paw ?’
He ran back into the bedroom . ‘Q u ick !’ he thought.
‘W here is it?’ At first he could not find it in the dark.
Ah! T h ere it was! He had it!
Ju st at th at m inute he heard his wife dow nstairs.
‘W ait! W a it, H erbert! I’m co m in g !’ she cried. She
began to open the front door.
At the sam e tim e M r W hite to ok the m onkey’s paw

38
«
 The M onkey's Paiv

The road was dark and quiet.

in his right hand and he made his third wish.

M rs W h ite gave a long unhappy cry and her
husband ran down to her. She stood by the open door.
Very afraid, old M r W hite looked out into the dark.
T he road was dark and quiet — and there was
nobody there.