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Welcome to Short Stories with Peter from YourEnglish Toolbox.
I am Peter. Tonight, we are entering a warm houseon a cold and stormy night.
Inside that house, a family will be offered threewishes. Most people would call that a gift.
This family will learn to call it something else.This is The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs,
first published in 1902. It has been abridged andadapted for B1-B2 English learners
by Your English Toolbox. Outside Laburnum Villa,
the rain struck the windows and the wind shook thetrees.
Inside, Mr. and Mrs. White sat beside a brightfire with their grown-up son, Herbert.
They were waiting for an old friend, SergeantMajor Morris, who had spent many years in India.
At last, the garden gate banged and heavyfootsteps approached the house.
Morris entered, wet from the storm, and warmed hishands by the fire.
For a while, he told them stories of distantplaces.
What was that strange object you once mentioned?
The Monkey's Paw. Morris became quiet.
It is nothing worth hearing about. But the familyleaned towards him,
so he reached into his pocket. He placed a small,dry Monkey's Paw on the table.
An old holy man put a spell on it. He wanted toprove that people should not interfere with fate.
03:07
Three different people can each make three wishes.
And have your wishes come true?
Yes.
His face had lost its color.
The man who owned it before me used his third wishto ask for death.
Nobody laughed after that.
Without warning, Morris threw the paw into thefire.
Mr. White quickly pulled it out.
Let it burn. If you keep it, do not blame me forwhat happens.
How do I make a wish?
Hold it in your right hand and speak aloud. But Iwarn you, do not tempt fate.
After Morris left, Herbert smiled at his parents'nervous faces.
I wish for two hundred pounds to finish paying forthe house.
Mr. White held up the paw.
I wish for two hundred pounds.
The paw twisted in his hand like a living thing.He dropped it with a cry.
I cannot see any money.
Perhaps it is waiting for you upstairs.
Herbert laughed, but his father stared at the pawuntil the fire became low.
The next morning, Herbert left for work at thelocal factory.
Around midday, a serious-looking man stoppedoutside the house.
He walked to the gate, turned away, and then cameback.
Mrs. White opened the door.
I come from the factory where your son works.
Has something happened to Herbert?
There has been an accident.
Your son was badly hurt, but he is no longer inpain.
Mrs. White understood first.
Herbert was dead.
The company accepts no responsibility.
However, it wishes to offer you some money inrecognition of your son's service.
How much?
Two hundred pounds.
06:00
A week passed after Herbert's funeral.
The house that had once felt warm now seemed emptyand cold.
One night, Mrs. White suddenly sat up in bed.
The paw.
We have two wishes left.
Wish Herbert alive again?
No.
You do not know what might come back.
He is our son.
Bring him back at any cost.
Mr. White went downstairs and found the paw in thedarkness.
His hands shook as he raised it.
I wish my son alive again.
The candle went out, and the old couple listenedto the clock.
Then came a quiet knock at the front door.
Mr. White stopped breathing.
The knock came again, louder this time.
It is Herbert.
She ran downstairs and pulled back the chain.
The final bolt was too high for her to reach.
The knocking became hard and desperate.
Help me open the door.
But Mr. White was on his knees, searching for thepaw.
His wife dragged the chair towards the door.
Her hand reached for the final bolt.
At that moment, Mr. White found the paw and madehis third wish.
The knocking stopped.
Mrs. White opened the door.
Cold wind entered the house.
Outside, the road was silent and empty.
The story never tells us exactly what Mr. Whitewished for at the end.
It trusts us to understand from the sudden silenceand the empty road.
Notice four expressions that carry the story'swarning.
First, to grant a wish means to make somebody'swish come true.
09:01
The paw grants wishes, but never in the way thefamily expects.
Second, to tempt fate means to take a foolish riskwhen things are already going well.
Morris warns Mr. White not to tempt fate, butcuriosity wins.
Third, at any cost means that you want a resultregardless of the danger or sacrifice.
Mrs. White wants her son back at any cost becausegrief controls her judgment.
Finally, be careful what you wish for is a warningthat getting what you want may create
a worse problem.
We also use wish for things that are unreal,impossible, or different from reality.
Mr. White says, I wish my son alive again.
After wish, the story expresses a desire to changea reality that cannot safely be changed.
If you had owned the paw, would you have made thefirst wish?
Or would you have let it burn?
You can find the complete transcript, translationsin several languages,
and a vocabulary guide on our website,yourenglishtoolbox.com.
There is a direct link to the episode page and allits resources in this episode description.
This was The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs, abridgedfor B1-B2 English learners by Your English
Toolbox.
I am Peter. Thank you for listening.