"The Monkey's Paw" is a classic horror short story by W.W. Jacobs, first published in 1902. The tale follows the White family—Mr. and Mrs. White and their son Herbert—who receive a mysterious mummified monkey's paw that grants three wishes, but with cruel consequences. Mr. White's first wish for two hundred pounds is granted through his son's tragic death at work. When the grief-stricken couple makes a second wish to bring Herbert back to life, sinister knocking echoes at their door. Fearing the horror that might return, Mr. White uses his final wish to undo the second. The story masterfully explores fate, greed, and the peril of tampering with destiny.
