The Monkey's Paw: your wildest dreams can become your worst nightmares.

Scene 1

Narrator 1: Outside, the night is cold and wet, but inside the little house, the blinds are closed and the fire is roaring.

Narrator 2: Mr. White and Herbert are playing chess. Mrs. White is knitting by the fire. Herbert White: Check.

Narrator 3: Mr. White tries to distract his son from the game.

Mr. White: It's really windy out tonight. Herbert: Mate. I win.

Mr. White: I couldn't concentrate on the game with the wind howling like that.

Mrs. White: Maybe you'll win next time. Narrator 1: The gate bangs loudly outside. Heavy footsteps come toward the door.

Mr. White: There he is!

Narrator 2: Mr. White jumps up and opens the door. A tall, heavy man with beady eyes steps into the room.

Mrs. White: Oh, dear!

Sergeant Major Morris: I'm Sergeant Major Morris, an old friend of your husband's.

Narrator 3: The sergeant major shakes hands with Mrs. White and Herbert. He takes a seat in the living room.

Narrator 1: The rest of the family members also sit down. They are dying to hear about Morris's travels to distant lands.

Narrator 2: Morris tells them of the wars and strange people he has seen.

Mrs. White: I think I'd like to travel to those places one day.

Morris: You're better off just staying here.

Mr. White: What was that you started telling me the other day, Morris? You mentioned a monkey's paw?

Morris: It's nothing--at least, nothing worth hearing.

Herbert: Monkey's paw?

Morris: It's magical.

Narrator 3: The Whites lean forward to hear more.

Narrator 1: Morris takes out the paw. Mr. White takes it and hands it to his son. Herbert puts it down on the table.

Herbert: It looks like a dried-up little paw.

Mr. White: What's so special about it?

Morris: A holy man put a spell on it. He wanted to warn people not to mess with fate. He put a spell on it. Three different people can each make three wishes on it.

Herbert: Why don't you make three wishes?

Morris: I have.

Mr. White: Did they come true?

Morris: They did.

Mrs. White: Has anyone else wished on it?

Morris: The first man made his three wishes. I don't know what his first two wishes were, but his last wish was for death. That's how I got the paw.

Narrator 2: Morris grabs the paw and throws it into the fire.

Narrator 3: Mr. White snatches the paw before it starts to singe.

Mr. White: If you don't want it, give it to me!

Morris: If you take that paw, don't blame me for what happens. If you are smart, you'll throw it back into the fire.

Mr. White: Nonsense! Tell me, how do you make wishes on it?

Morris: Hold it in your right hand and wish aloud. But I warn you--there will be consequences.

Scene 2

Narrator 1: After dinner, Morris leaves. Mr. White takes out the paw and looks at the ugly talisman.

Herbert: Dad, you should make a wish! We're going to be rich, famous, and happy.

Narrator 2: Mr. White looks around at his wife and son. He smiles.

Mr. White: I don't know what to wish for. I already have everything I could want.

Herbert: Well, wish for a million dollars.

Narrator 3: Mr. White holds the paw in his right hand.

Mr. White: I wish for a million dollars.

Narrator 1: A flash of lightning lights the room. It's followed by a boom of thunder.

Narrator 2: Mr. White drops the paw on the floor.

Mr. White: It moved! As I wished, it moved like a snake in my hand!

Mrs. White: You probably just imagined it.

Herbert: Well, I don't see any money, and I bet I never will. I'm going to sleep. I have to get up early for work at the factory.

Scene 3

Narrator 3: In the morning, the family laughs about the monkey's paw.

Mrs. White: We were silly for being scared. How could a million dollars hurt someone?

Herbert: It could drop from the sky and fall on your head.

Mr. White: Morris said the wishes happened so naturally that you might think they were coincidences.

Narrator 1: Herbert laughs and heads off to work. Mr. and Mrs. White go about their day.

Narrator 2: In the evening, Mr. and Mrs. White talk about the paw again.

Mr. White: That paw really did move in my hand.

Mrs. White: You thought it did.

Narrator 3: Out of the corner of her eye, Mrs. White sees a well-dressed stranger looking through the window in the door. He stands there, hand raised as if to knock, but looks lost in thought.

Narrator 1: Mrs. White goes to the door and opens it.

Stranger: I ... I was asked to come. I'm from your son's employer.

Narrator 2: Mr. White joins his wife at the door.

Mrs. White: Has something happened to Herbert? Tell me!

Mr. White: There, there. Don't jump to any conclusions.

Stranger: I'm sorry ...

Mrs. White: Is he hurt?

Stranger: Badly. But he's not in any pain anymore. He was mangled in a machine.

Narrator 3: Mr. and Mrs. White silently stare at the stranger.

Stranger: The firm's managers wanted me to tell you how sorry they are for your loss. They take no responsibility. However, they wish to present you with some compensation.

Mr. White: How much?

Stranger: One million dollars.

Narrator 1: Mrs. White screams, and Mr. White faints to the floor.

Scene 4

Narrator 2: Mr. and Mrs. White go to the funeral for their son and come back to a silent house.

Narrator 3: A week after the funeral, Mr. White wakes to the sound of his wife's crying.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Mr. White: Come back to bed. You're going to get cold.

Mrs. White: My son is colder.

Narrator 1: The two try to go back to sleep.

Mrs. White again awakens her husband.

Mrs. White: The monkey's paw! Where is it?

Mr. White: It's in the living room, on the table. Why do you ask?

Mrs. White: We've had only one wish!

Mr. White: Wasn't that enough?

Mrs. White: No! Go get that paw and wish our boy alive!

Mr. White: Are you crazy?

Mrs. White: We had our first wish granted. Why not a second?

Mr. White: It was a coincidence.

Mrs. White: Go get it!

Narrator 2: Mr. White gets the paw. As he touches it, fear overcomes him. He takes it upstairs.

Mrs. White: Wish!

Mr. White: I wish my son alive again.

Scene 5

Narrator 3: The monkey's paw falls to the floor. Mrs. White runs to the window and looks outside.

Narrator 1: They sit there all night. Nothing happens. Mr. White feels a sense of relief.

Narrator 2: A light goes out. Mr. White goes downstairs to change it.

Narrator 3: There is a knock at the door. And then another.

Mrs. White: What's that?

Mr. White: It's just a rat. It passed me on the stairs.

Narrator 1: There is another knock.

Mrs. White: It's Herbert! It took him some time to get here. I forgot the cemetery is 2 miles away.

Narrator 2: Mrs. White runs down to the door.

Mr. White: Don't let it in!

Mrs. White: You're afraid of your own son? I'm coming, Herbert, I'm coming!

Narrator 3: There is another knock and another one. Mrs. White struggles with the latch on the door.

Narrator 1: Mr. White runs upstairs, grabs the monkey's paw, and desperately makes his last wish.

Narrator 2: The knocking stops. Mr. White hears the door open. A cold wind blows all the way upstairs.

Narrator 3: Mrs. White sobs with disappointment. Mr. White runs to her side and then to the gate outside. The streetlamp lights a quiet and empty road.

Cast of Characters

Narrators 1, 2, 3--people who tell the story

Herbert White--Mr. and Mrs. White's 17-year-old son

Mr. White--Herbert's father

Mrs. White--Herbert's mother

Sergeant Major Morris Mr. White's friend

Stranger--employee at the factory where Herbert works

Adapted by Jessica Livingston

KNOW YOUR WORDS

The words defined here are in the story above.

singe          SINJ                to burn lightly
consequences   KAHN-seh-kwens-ez   the result of an action
talisman       TA-less-muhn        a charm that has magic powers
coincidences   koh-IN-seh-dehns    seemingly arranged but accidental
mangled        man-GUHLD           cut, torn, or crushed
compensation   kahm-pen-SAY-shun   money given as payment
                                   for a service or a loss

W. W. Jacobs (1865-1943) was born in England. His most famous work is the scary short story "The Monkey's Paw," but many of his other pieces are humorous. His writing has influenced modern authors, including Stephen King. "The Monkey's Paw" was parodied in a Halloween episode of The Simpsons.