"The Monkey's Paw" is a short horror story by W. W. Jacobs, first published in 1902. It tells the story of a family who is given a magical monkey's paw that has the power to grant three wishes. However, they soon discover that every wish comes with a terrible consequence. The story begins with Mr. and Mrs. White and their son Herbert, who live a quiet life in a small village. One evening, an old friend of Mr. White's named Sergeant-Major Morris comes to visit them. He shows them a strange object - a mummified monkey's paw that he acquired during his travels in India. The paw is said to have the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses it. Despite Morris's warnings about the dangers of using the paw, the Whites convince him to sell it to them. They make their first wish for two hundred pounds, hoping to use the money to pay off their mortgage. The next day, their son Herbert goes to work at a local factory and is killed in a gruesome accident. Overwhelmed with grief, the Whites decide to use their second wish to bring their son back to life. Later that night, they hear a knocking at the door and Mrs. White realizes with horror that it must be their son's reanimated corpse. In a panic, Mr. White uses their final wish to undo the second one. The story ends with the Whites sitting in their home, relieved that their son is gone and that they are no longer in possession of the cursed paw. "The Monkey's Paw" is a classic horror story that explores the dangers of greed and the consequences of making wishes without considering the cost. The story has been adapted into numerous films, television shows, and plays, and is widely regarded as a masterpiece of horror fiction.